Twisted Vacation
by nats10art
Summary: THIS IS A SEQUEL TO EXTENDED VACATION! So, if you wish to read this, I kindly suggest you go to Extended Vacation first. Just sayin'. But hey, that's only if you want to read it. Now, what's your choice? Read, or forever wonder what you're missing out on?
1. Prologue

I'm back! :D After a few months, I'm ready to to put out the sequal to Extended Vacation! I feel so happy... Enjoy!

* * *

**Twisted Vacation**

Prologue

There were two flashes of lightning, one right after the other. The whole battle paused, just to look. To see what had happened. "Those that are allies of Akatsuki gather!" Madara. It was his deep, dark, demanding voice that called those words. The woman I had been fighting disappeared. I turned to watch as they were all sucked away. The battle was over.

But why did they retreat?

"Sakura!" I turned my head at the sound of my name.

"What happened?" I asked Kakashi, who was now right in front of me.

"They're gone."

They were? How? Would they make it home safely? "How?" was the question I decided to ask.

"I, uh, didn't witness it. My back was turned."

I looked around. "Where's Naruto?" I didn't see him anywhere nearby.

"Actually, I don't know."

Deidara came up to us, limping, completely soaked. He must have fallen in the river, as even though it was raining, he couldn't have gotten wet that quickly. "I saw it. They're gone, hm. All four of them."

"All _four_?"

He nodded. "Natalie, Sam, Naruto, and Gaara."


	2. Chapter 1

Epic Part 1: Cancelled Vacation

Chapter 1

Once upon a time, me and a friend went on vacation to a house on Maxey Island. Once upon a time, it took us to the Naruto world. Once upon a time, my friend and I tried to find a way home. However, our story didn't have a simple happily ever after, oh no. It ended. Just like that. And there was no way of continuing it.

We had been gone for two years in this world. The world had moved on quickly, too. Dad and Sandy were married now; my mom had a boyfriend; I had a new nephew from my brother and a new niece from my step-brother…. Sam and I were on the news for a few days, then the public sorta got over it.

There was a family reunion for both my family and Sam's family. Most of my cousins were happy to see me again. I have to say I was taken aback when my cousin Simeon ran up to me and yelled, "_I'm Karl!_" Karl was a nickname we had for Orochimaru, and I had completely forgotten about it. You'd think he would have too.

"Then you're a _dead man_," I answered with a grin. Orochimaru was dead now after all.

"I don't wanna be _dead_!" Jonah, nearby, laughed at him. He was Simeon's brother. I smiled at their childish play.

That was a week ago, though.

Now I sat in my room, staring blankly at an Akatsuki poster that was still hung up. The poster included two enemies and two friends: Itachi, Kisame, Deidara, and Sasori. It was an old poster – Sasori was still in Hiruko – but still, I couldn't take it down because, although it had two people I didn't exactly like, there were also two friends there.

I thought of Itachi, lying in his hospital bed. Who knew how long he'd be able to live? Then Deidara…. I never said good-bye.

I thought of how the world was only in two dimensions. My head had spun when I had stepped out of the island house, seeing everything around me in full depth. It was confusing to my brain. However, my eyes soon adjusted to 3-D again. It was still so hard to believe, so hard to comprehend that we lived in a two-dimensional anime not long ago.

It was impossible.

And yet, it was true. I sighed, and grabbed my Walkman from the purse beside my bed. All of the songs were old now, but I didn't care. They were familiar to me. Besides, who knew what type of music was "new" now. I pressed the play button.

On hold…

Cancel HOLD function to activate controls.

I smiled. It still worked. I turned off the lock and put an ear bud in my ear. It was still on shuffle, just as it was three… no, _two_ years before. I lay down and relaxed…. I needed my rest. Tomorrow school started again after all.

I was glad we hadn't come home again in the middle of the school year; that wouldn't be fun. And then, we were lucky to even be in 9th grade this year. Having missed two years of school, it would be difficult to catch on to a higher grade than we would be. I knew I'd eventually catch on, though, and if Sam didn't, I could tutor her.

_At least we know we'll do well in gym, _I thought. _What with the ninja training and all…._

Oh… I missed the ninja world already. I was just so _used _to it. And it struck me hard whenever I thought about that world and realized I'd never go back. I had gone back to the island again and again, hoping to find the message in a bottle had been replied to. I just couldn't believe that it was gone. That all we had done, all that had happened were only meant to dwindle into faint memories.

I turned over and closed my eyes. I tried thinking of more pleasant thoughts as I went to sleep, but to no avail. The music and its meaning kept reminding me of the world I had left behind. I shut it off and squeezed my eyes shut tighter as I thought to myself, _There _must _be a way back. There must be. This can't be happening._

Too bad it was all a lie.

* * *

"_Sam! Natalie! You're BACK!_" Sarah screamed, running up to glomp Sam. Wait; that was _Sarah_?

"Sarah? Is that you?" Sam asked. Her face was the same, though maybe a bit more grown, but her hair was short and dyed blond; short meaning chin-length and dyed blond meaning it was blond on top but grew into its original brown, layered for that specific look. **(A/N: Yeah, I got her hair color wrong the first time. ^-^')**

She grinned and pointed her thumb towards herself. "Yup! The one and only!" The warning bell rang, and we had to part again.

* * *

I sat at a lunch table with four other people: Sam, Sarah, Mackenzie, and Nadia; all friends of mine. Mackenzie and Nadia were both thrilled to see us back, alive, after the two years we had disappeared. I was glad we had the same lunch period.

"So, where _were _you, anyway?" "What happened?" "Why couldn't we find you?" "Did you meet anyone? Who?" "When did you finally decide to come back?" were among the questions asked.

"Stop asking them everything at once!" Nadia came in. The questions stopped. "So how are you, girl?" she asked, smiling wide. I noticed her braces were gone now, leaving behind well-kept, shining teeth. Her hair was currently blond, its original color (although there were still dark brown tips). Maybe she had stopped dying it?

"Uh… good," I answered, returning a small smile. I had been away so long that I was shy with these people. These were my _friends_, why was I so timid now?

"Fine," Sam said, not even attempting at a smile. She never really _could_ smile in this world unless she was laughing. People often thought she was depressed, last time I checked (although that was three years ago). Then again, others sometimes thought _I _was sad because I was often found deep in thought. Really, though, when I was deep in thought, I most often simply had no expression.

"So, what happened?" Sarah asked.

I thought on this. What _would _we say to where we had gone? "Um… actually, we're not completely sure what happened the night we went missing."

"Were you _raped_?" Mackenzie asked.

I squeezed my eyes shut tight. "_No_." I had forgotten how nearly everyone here had... – how should I put it? - …dirty minds. I don't mean _everyone _had a "dirty mind," but most people had that kind of mind to some degree. I just hoped some of the people I knew had grown a little more mature about it. And besides, it's never anything _too _bad, just their brains would come up with… strange things.

"Good," she answered. Well, at least my friends understood that that kind of thing wasn't something to joke about. It was a very… serious matter that I found, and still find, unnerving.

"_Karl_," Sarah coughed. Nadia sighed. How did I come up with Karl? I had said Oro once under my breath, and Nadia had thought I said Karl. Thus, the nickname was born. "Oh!" Sarah said, as though she had just remembered something. "Are still into Naruto? I mean, it's been a few years, but are you? Do you even _remember _it?"

Sam and I glanced at one another, then looked back at her and nodded. I couldn't help myself; I burst into laughter. "What's so funny?" Mackenzie asked.

"Nothing," I said, still grinning.

"Hey guys!" An African American… or maybe Native American… girl with her short hair tied in a high ponytail came over with her tray and sat down.

"Alexis?" I asked, surprised. She was a great friend of mine that had moved away eight or nine months before I had "disappeared." What was she doing back here? "You moved back?"

She smiled. "Yeah, last year! I couldn't believe you had gone missing. I'm glad you're back!" I couldn't help but smile in return. "We should throw a welcome back party!"

Nadia's eyes brightened. "That's a good idea! With singing,"

"And dancing," Alexis put in,

"And all your old friends," Mackenzie said,

"And beer!" Sarah cried. Sam and I raised an eyebrow.

"_No_, Sarah," Sam said slowly.

"I was kidding; I was kidding!" she laughed. I sighed. Wow.

* * *

Wow. A welcome to school celebration for 9th graders? Well, I don't remember that having happened before…. But then, I hadn't been in high school before, either, so how would I know? Well, at least it was Friday…. "Mmm…. I love orange pop," Nadia, beside me, said and smiled, showing her shiny teeth.

I smiled back. Gratefully, I had found my teeth were straight, so my braces were gone for good. So, I could have my favorite pop of all: root beer. And I hadn't had that for, basically, more than three years. Sam, meanwhile, enjoyed munching on a chocolate cupcake. They had nearly everything here, amazingly. Usually there wasn't too much variety….

We stood leaning against the side of the school, watching the beautiful sunset over the cliff ahead of us. Pretty soon the real party would begin…. Before I knew it, the light began to fade, and the sun sank below the horizon. Lights turned on, flashing and simply lighting up the night. It was like a laser light show…. Then the music began. I, personally, thought the song had a good beat. I felt the ground beneath my feet vibrating to the rhythm, and it soon seemed at though my heart beat in tune to the rhythm as well.

Alexis immediately went up to dance. She had always been a good dancer. She never took lessons; dancing just came to her naturally. Nadia, however, took hip-hop, and, after she finished her orange pop, went up to dance nearby Alexis. I used to wonder who would win in a dance contest between Nadia and Alexis, and even now I couldn't tell. They actually seemed pretty evenly matched. But, considering the fact that Alexis never had lessons, I'd say she was a bit better. It was weird; she almost became one with the music.

For a moment or two I just watched them dance, almost mesmerized, until I heard Sam giggling hysterically beside me. Whoops. I had forgotten how she got when she had chocolate…. My eyes widened. "Crap. Sam, now is _not _the time." I shook her by the shoulders. "Please don't get chocolate drunk."

She grinned. "I'm only a little hyper, don't worry…. Can I have another cupcake?"

"No," I answered firmly. "No more chocolate for you tonight."

"Yeah…," she agreed, not wanting to be "chocolate drunk" in public. "But now I'm kinda hyper and I can't let it out and I really want to but can't so what the hell do I do?"

After setting Sam in a corner to do what she wanted – at the moment she was ripping apart grass – I began walking to my original place. "Poke!" someone said, poking my back. I wheeled around to identify the poker, and grinned.

"Oh my God! You're…." Darn it, I couldn't remember his name.

"What? You don't remember? I'm Will!"

"Yeah! Will!" I gave him a hug. He was almost exactly as I remembered him, short blond hair and all.

"Don't forget us!" The short boy I remembered to be Matt called in greeting. Standing with him was David, and Andrew off to the side. (How did I remember their names and not Will's?)

"Hi guys! I haven't seen you in forever!"

"Two years!" Andrew exclaimed. David just smiled and pushed up his glasses.

Matthew had short, dark brown hair, and was the hyper one of the bunch. Will was the odd one; David had dark brown hair that hung down to create short bangs, unlike Matt and Will, who had it stick up slightly. He wore his usual oval-rimmed glasses. He was the smarter one, _I _think. Then there was Andrew. His slightly longer blond hair had grown out a bit again, hanging down to his shoulders. He flipped his head to get the hair out of his eyes and grinned. We had known each other since Kindergarten, and had grown to be pretty good friends over the years.

After I had said hello to them though, I went off to sit on the cliff's edge, feet dangling over the edge. The full moon hung in the sky in perfect view, no clouds in sight. I sat there quietly, thinking about all that had happened…. I heard someone beside me, and turned to see Andrew. He looked at me, then sat down beside me. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, I just wanted to be alone for a little bit."

He looked to the moon. "Same here." He paused. "What a nice view."

I smiled as I thought of how he used to claim he was a werewolf as I gazed back at the moon. "Yeah… this is surely one of nature's beauties."

"Yeah…," he sighed. For three minutes, we just sat and watched the moon. It _was _pretty, just hanging there in the sky as though it were hanging by some invisible string. Andrew broke that silence. "Natalie?"

I turned to him, snapping from my thoughts. "Yeah?"

He looked straight into my eyes with a firm gaze. "I won't ever let anything like that happen to you again," he said, also with a firm determination. I turned my gaze to the ground far beneath my feet. "…What's wrong?"

"I didn't try at first…. I could have been back sooner…."

"Well… you're my friend, and I'm just glad to have you back."

I smiled. "I know I've changed a lot, but the old me is still there. Maybe…. Maybe you and the others will help things go back to normal."

He smiled back. "I missed you," he whispered. His hand inched closer to mine until our fingertips touched. **(A/N: Notice HE'S doing the movement. Not me.)**

"I missed you too," I answered, and looked at him. I couldn't help but stare into his deep brown eyes, the moonlight reflecting off of them. He began leaning forward just as my mind flashed back….

_He smiled back. "I__ missed you," he whispered. Our hands inched closer and closer together, until our fingertips touched. "I missed you too," I answered softly. We stared deep into each other's eyes. His were crystal blue, with the moon gently reflecting off of them. It all came naturally. I leaned forward, and our lips touched. I pulled back. There was a glimmer in his eyes that wasn't there before; I was sure he felt the same way as I did._

This was like before… with Naruto…. I would be going back, wouldn't I? I had a firm belief that I'd be going back. So… I still had Deidara to think about, didn't I? "No; stop," I said. He leaned back immediately. "I can't…. I'm sorry."

He gave a smile that I could tell wasn't completely telling the truth. "Oh, that's alright!"

I gave a small smile and walked away.

* * *

Sam's mom, my mom, and Sarah's mom had put this together. It was Saturday, the day after the dance, and we were all having a sleepover. It was weird; before, sleepovers were always very exciting, but, basically, for the past few _months_ I had been having a sleepover with Sam. And there was another thing that was weird, too: the fact that Sarah was completely and utterly hyper; more hyper than Naruto. I wasn't used to this kind of hyper-ness anymore, unless it was my own.

Wow, things had changed.

For some of the time, Sam and I simply caught up with Sarah's life, slightly. I didn't understand a lot of what she said, though, because of how fast she was speaking. I caught a few things, such as, "I _freaked _when I found out you went missing," and "I'm just happy you're still alive!" …Come to think of it, she really _didn't _talk too much about her.

We looked through some of Sam's old stuff – Sam's house was the chosen house – and found many things we had forgotten about. Old drawings, mostly of wolf people – Sam could really only draw wolves, and was only just getting the hang of drawing actual anime people when the disappearance occurred. In fact, there was only one human drawing, and it was of Itachi. Sam's eyes were sad when we found this.

"Oh, you won't believe it, either," Sarah said as she put the picture back in the folder. "Disney XD changed a _lot_. Itachi doesn't die! I guess that's a pretty good thing on your part, huh Sam?" Right before we left, Sam had been trying to decide whether she liked Gaara or Itachi, so…. "And Natalie, Deidara lived also. And guess what? They brought Hidan back too!" She grinned.

"…Oh, really…?" I asked absently. Here was more proof we had been there.

"Yeah, and they added characters, too; like Natari and Samansa." Sam and I looked at her. "What are you looking at _me _for? I'm not the one who made them up; Disney XD did!"

"I wouldn't bet on that…," Sam muttered.

"What?"

So, we spent most our time looking through Sam's things that had been put away while she – _we_ – were gone. It was almost like the old times, long before now. Before it had all started. Before I had even had the first dream…. It was, overall, a fun time. Fun, indeed….

* * *

I _would _be going back. I _had _to be able. Before, it had seemed impossible to go the Naruto world, and we did. Now, it seemed impossible, so why shouldn't it be possible if it was possible before? Just, now we knew that it once was possible, and we just didn't know how to get back. After some thought, I decided I'd send a letter to Masashi Kishimoto.

_Dear Kishimoto-san,_

I wrote in Japanese. I wrote of the Kawarigan, asking of its powers. I asked if he knew he had enslaved the Naruto people. I even asked whether or not I had imagined it all, or if he really had gone there; and if he had, how? And when? What were his adventures?

Then I sent it.

* * *

It had been two months. _Two months_. Where were they? Why didn't they come back? For a week or two, I could wait. I was even okay at one month. This was the most patient I had ever been. I understood they had to see their family again, but _two _months? I was getting angry. _Why? Why isn't she coming back?_

There was nothing, no reason for me to even stay in the Leaf. I had, after all, only just become a citizen, and that was all because of Natalie. She was gone now, but I couldn't help but hope she'd come back eventually. I hated what she had done to me, to _everyone_. Everyone liked her at least as a friend, and she had left us all. _They _left us.

And then, what of Naruto and Gaara? Couldn't they at least bring _them _back? Gaara was the freakin' _Kazekage_! He had a _job _to do! And _Naruto _was important to this village! Naruto was the main character of the entire _show_!

Maybe it had all been a trick. A sinister act that included a well thought out plan. First, they became our friends, changing us for the better, _making _us their friends. Maybe they knew how to get home all along; they just wanted to strengthen the bonds. Then they left, taking Naruto and Gaara along with them, making us suffer, and throwing the Sand into chaos, keeping the two friends as hostages.

But I couldn't believe that.

When she smiled, it was so true, pure happiness. And when she kissed me… the look in her eyes was so sincere.

I kicked a stone in my path. _Maybe there's something holding her back. Maybe her parents won't let her leave them again, or…._

"Hey, Deidara." I looked up from the ground to see Sasuke.

I took my hands out of my pockets. "Hey." Ha, a bit over two months ago I wanted him _dead_! "How's Itachi?" There's another person I used to despise. I used to hate _all _Uchihas. Now, I just hated one in particular….

"Not so good. He's getting worse." Silence followed, and we just sorta walked in the same direction. "…He keeps saying they'll come back, too. What if they don't?"

"I guess we'll just have to believe him then, hm."

"I guess…."

More silence. "What do _you _think about all of this, hm?" I asked eventually. Silence wasn't very comforting to me anymore. …As long as the person talking wasn't annoying. _That _would get on my nerves.

"…What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't know whether to be mad, or…."

"You know, I really don't know either."

_There _has_ to be a reason they're taking so long, _I thought. _I guess I'll wait a bit longer…._

I really didn't know where we were going, and I don't think he really did either. Soon I was looking up at the village gates. I barely noticed the extremely pale – albino maybe? – boy walk though them out of the corner of my eye. _When I first walked through those gates, _I thought, _it was with Natalie. And the last time I walked out, it was with Natalie. _I tightened my hand into a carefully made fist. _So when I walk out again, it'll be with Natalie._

* * *

Ya know, I really didn't think their disappearance would affect our group. I didn't really care too much about Natalie or Sam. Sure, Sam was fun sometimes, and I got along with her, but that was about it. Maybe I would have cared if it had been a little longer, but not now. Juugo wouldn't really be affected, and Karin would probably be _glad _to have them gone, especially Sam. So really, Team Hebi shouldn't have been affected, right? But _no_….

There was Sasuke. I don't know why, but I could tell there was a difference in him when they disappeared. I was actually hoping we could move on in life, move around a little more, maybe then I could get those swords….

But, of course, that didn't happen. I guess I _could _have just gone out on my own, but there was something that kept holding me back. I hate to admit it, but I think I had grown fond of my team. So I stayed with them. It was fun annoying Karin… and there was still a chance I could get Samehada if I stuck with them.

I took a sip of my water, then lifted up my sword, inspecting it. I gave it a little rub here and there making sure it was near perfect. I was bored, with nothing really to do, and I liked caring for my sword in my spare time. It was like my hobby. I still missed killing people with it though…. There hadn't been any recent activity from any enemies, so….

"How many times are you going to '_clean_' your sword?" Karin asked, annoyed. "It isn't even dirty!"

"This sword is precious to me," I said with a smirk and swung it over to let it rest on my shoulder. "Just like _Sasuke _is precious to you."

Her cheeks flushed red and her hand went up to the bridge of her nose, pushing her glasses into place. "H-he is _not_!"

My smirk widened. I loved annoying her. "_Sure_…. Of course he isn't," I said with obvious sarcasm.

* * *

So they were gone. Maybe I had been right the first time? That they really _shouldn't _have been trusted? _No…,_ I thought to myself. _There's a reason. There has to be a reason._ I stared up at the ceiling from my bed, just thinking. Natalie had changed my opinion on things. She was the one who had gotten me thinking, and helped me to realize that everyone _wasn't _exactly the same. We were all different, and that was a good thing.

Of course, I still hadn't perfected my ability to trust others, but I was getting there. _At least I didn't know the people who killed my parents_, I thought. _If they were people I knew and trusted, then I don't know if I'd ever be able to trust again. _The memory was still fresh in my mind; the power-hungry robbers, the warm, crimson blood of my own parents splattered over my flesh… it was sickening, sometimes. But sad. It was sad.

I had hardened myself to the point of not caring anymore before. I had become callous. It was Natalie who had softened me up again. Ha, I still remembered the day I had suggested to attack her. I hadn't known then…. Well, now I _did _know, thanks to her. _Thanks, Natalie, _I thought with a smile. I didn't care if she made it back or not. I was just glad she had changed the world for the better.

Hadn't she?

"Yasuko, right?" I heard. It was the voice of a male…. But it wasn't deep, it was higher. It was of a young boy. I grabbed a kunai, scanning the room.

Something grabbed me by the head, covering my mouth, and pulled me backwards into nothing.

* * *

_Damn it, she makes me wonder…. _I thought to myself, then shook it off. _Why the hell should I even wanna _know _about that god-damned religion? _I sighed, and rested my chin on my palm a moment. _Holy s**t!_ I realized. _With Natalie not here, I can break the deal! _I grinned at the thought, though I _was _annoyed that I hadn't figured that out until two months after she was gone. _I'm freakin' _free!

I stood, grabbed my scythe, and ran out the door. I was aiming for the gates. My plan wasn't exactly well thought-out, I admit it; just get out of here. I didn't think of where I'd go, or anything like that. Too bad Deidara and Sasuke were at the gates. I still sometimes wondered how the hell Deidara got here. We had been on the same team! "Where are you going, hm?" Deidara asked.

"I'm gettin' outta here!" I answered immediately.

His visible eye narrowed. "You're not going anywhere, yeah. Without Natalie here, _I'll _be holding up your deal."

My smile faded. "Oh, f**k you." So much for being on the same f**king team, huh? Damn.

* * *

The ending part, I think, was just to get more points of view in. I don't know. Oh well. Every new chapter will be put out every wednesday... Whoo! I feel so accomplished! :D


	3. Chapter 2

It came to the next school week. It had been three weeks now since we had left the Naruto world. It seemed like longer though. This week was also the week a new girl came to school. I really didn't notice her until lunch time came around. I had been irritable lately. I had finally realized I _wouldn't _be going back, and I knew that. I just didn't like the idea of it.

Anyway, the new girl wasn't in our grade; she was in tenth. Our lunch period had ninth and tenth graders, so… yeah. The girl, who I found to have beautiful, vibrant, medium-length brown hair, was smiling and asking politely if there was room at any of the tables she passed. She, of course, started with the tenth graders. Unfortunately for her, all of the tables seemed to be full. Probably because half the cafeteria was under construction. She eventually came to our table, still smiling, seeming to not mind the fact she couldn't sit at any of the other tables.

"Hi," she said kindly. Her voice was sweet; I don't see how the other tables couldn't let her in…. In fact, my irritability was slightly lightened. I was happy enough to smile back. "I'm Apple. Can I sit here?"

"Sure!" Sarah answered.

"You can sit right over here," Nadia said, gesturing to the empty chair where Mackenzie usually sat. She was absent today…. She had gotten sick from her little brother, and her mom wouldn't let her go. Of course, Nadia had said, "Lucky…," in response to this; well, that would be Nadia. Mackenzie's seat was between Nadia and I, so that's where she sat. "I'm Nadia."

"Hey, I'm Alexis!" Alexis greeted, holding out her hand. Apple shook it.

"Natalie," I smiled, and shook her hand.

Sam stayed silent. I nudged her, which got a response. "Sam," she muttered.

"So… do you guys like to dance?" she asked, maybe trying to start a conversation.

Alexis and Nadia grinned. "Hell yeah!"

"I take hip-hop," Nadia added.

"Really?" Apple asked. "Me too! I also take ballet."

"Cool," Nadia replied.

"Do you like Naruto?" Sarah asked.

"Oh, of course!" Apple said, grinning and nodding.

"Oh, who's your favorite character?"

"Gaara. Who's yours?"

"Hidan, of course!"

"You're an Akatsuki fan?"

"_Hell_ yeah! The Akatsuki's freakin' awesome!"

I smiled at their conversation. "How about you guys? Are you into Naruto?" Apple asked, looking around the table.

"We're into Naruto," I grinned, putting my arm around Sam's shoulders. Sam, of course, shoved my arm away.

"Who are your favorite characters?"

My smile faltered. It _hurt _to think about my "favorite character." How _dare_ she ask us that? _She doesn't know, _I thought. _She doesn't know. _"…Mine is Deidara, and Sam, here, has Itachi as her favorite."

"How about you two?" she asked Nadia and Alexis.

Alexis just shrugged, and Nadia thought. "Um… how about the puppet guy?"

"Which one, Kankuro or Sasori?"

"I don't know; the one with the red hair!"

"Oh, okay." She looked at Sam. "You don't talk much, huh?"

"She's usually more lively; she's just bein' a Mr. Grumpy-Pants today," Sarah said.

Apple laughed. "Oh, alright!"

* * *

The next school week came. Why did the weekends have to go so fast? Sam and Natalie were acting all grumpy and stuff lately, but I still talked to them. It wasn't like they weren't my friends anymore, even though they were missing for two years. Apple had come to sitting with us at lunch every day. I thought she was nice; a lot like Sam, before she got grumpified. I grinned as Mackenzie ran into the lunchroom. She hadn't met Apple yet. I waved.

She waved back. "Hi Sarah!" She ran up to our table. "Hey guys! I'm back!"

"Hey Mackenzie," we all answered, except for Apple.

"Oh, hi Mackenzie, I'm Apple," Apple smiled.

"Apple's into Naruto too! Can you believe it?"

"Cool!" Mackenzie said, pulled up a chair, and sat down.

"Oh, you're into it too? Who's your favorite character?"

"Kakashi! You?"

"Gaara." And so, lunch began. "Ugh," Apple said eventually. "I had to run the mile today. I hate doing that."

"Yeah, me too," Nadia said. "It's a pain in the butt, especially for Courtney. She can barely breathe by the end!"

"I don't mind it so much," Alexis came in. "I love to run."

"Aw, we have to do the _mile_? I _hate _that! By the end I feel like I'm about to die," someone else said; I can't for the life of me remember who.

There were nods of agreement, but when I looked at Natalie, I found her shoulders were shaking with laughter. My first thought was simple; she was crazy. But I already knew that, and I was crazy too. "_Ha_! You think _that's _hard? I nearly _died_! _Three times_!" She picked up her tray and walked to another table briskly, to cool off her anger. This was the first time I had actually seen her lose her temper though….

"I'll be right back," Sam said in a low voice.

My only thought was, _She nearly died? What the hell happened while she was gone?_

"What does she mean? Was she in an accident?" Apple asked. Oh, right. She had no idea those two had been missing for two years.

"Well, I'm not quite sure what happened, but…," I said, and went on to explain.

* * *

I sat down at the empty table, smoldering with anger. My thoughts weren't entirely clear. My mind soon was able to make sense of things, somewhat. _It wasn't Apple's fault…. But who, or what, is the cause to Sam and my suffering? We don't deserve this! _Who is to blame_?_

Sam walked over to me. "Was it really three times?"

"I don't know. Something around there," I muttered.

"Mad much?"

I nodded, then sighed. "Sorry." She raised her eyebrows. I sighed again, then walked with her over to the table. "Sorry, I haven't been myself lately," I said to Apple.

"Oh, don't worry. That's alright," she answered with a closed-eye smile.

* * *

That Friday, on the bus ride home from school, the kid behind me tapped his pen against the window in an irregular pattern. I was still irritable, so it annoyed me extremely. When I was angry enough, I mustered up my will, turned to look at him, and said _very _politely, "Please stop tapping your pen against the window." Fortunately, after that, he stopped.

When I got home, I immediately packed, then went to Sam's house. I was having a sleepover tonight. "Hey Natalie," she greeted at the door.

The sleepover wasn't very significant, however. There was, though, something that happened during the sleepover that was somewhat important. "So what happened during lunch? When you lost your temper?" she asked me that night.

"I'm just…. Well…. I really don't know. I just want to make it back. To at least tell them why we're not coming…."

"You'll just have to deal with it, I guess," she said sadly.

This sparked my anger. "At least you got to say goodbye! I never even got to say goodbye to Deidara! At least you-!"

"_I left Itachi to die_." That got me to stop talking. "Natalie. I _promised _Itachi I'd come back for him. I told him to wait for me. And now, he's just holding on to a hope that's all in vain, if he's even still alive."

I looked down. "No more anger now. I'm sorry…. We both have it hard. All of us do. And think: it's been only four weeks here. How long has gone by in the Naruto world?"

"You're right…."

I smiled and spread my arms wide. "Hug?"

"No."

"Oh, come on! _Please_?"

"No. I don't like hugs."

"You hugged me when you saw me again, even in an Akatsuki cloak."

She looked away. "That was different."

I crossed my arms and put a pouty face on. "Well then, poo you."

* * *

I was in darkness. I saw nothing. I tried looking around, and I found something. There were eyes, staring at me in the dark. Suddenly I was able to hear laughter, hysterical laughter, as the eyes looked at me. Some of the eyes were sad, some angry. I tried to run away. I tried; and failed. I fell to what had to be the ground, and began backing away from the eyes, away from the laughter. I bumped into something, and looked up, to find a single, sinister, Sharingan eye, glaring down at me. I opened my mouth to scream….

I sat up in bed in a cold sweat. That nightmare was creepy….

* * *

My mind was fuzzy and confused. It became harder and harder just to think. Sasuke sat in the chair to my right, the chair to my left remained empty. And it would stay empty, until Sam came back…. She had to come back. She promised me. And, through the thick fog in my mind, I was able to grasp that single hope. "Do you really think she's coming back?" Sasuke asked absently. I looked at him slowly; it hurt to move my eyes. _Everything _hurt. Still, though, I sat leaning against the back of the bed, arms hanging limp at my sides.

"Yes. I know she will." It was difficult just to say that, but I still answered.

"It's been four months…."

_Four months? _I thought in the back of my mind. _Has it been that long? _All the days had blended together. All I could really remember was pain. I had lost track of time.

A doctor came into the blank hospital room, and set a table of food in front of me. I forced a light smile. "Thank you." Sasuke got to his feet, and he and the doctor began a conversation. Meanwhile, I slowly lifted my arm to grab the chopsticks. I was silently glad they were already broken apart. I took them lightly and took small bites of my rice. It hurt to swallow, and I really wasn't hungry, but I knew I needed to eat to stay alive.

"What's exactly happening?" Sasuke asked.

"We've found that his insides are slowly deteriorating. At some point, they won't work anymore." The doctor looked at me. "All we can do is ease the pain, and slow the process of deterioration with healing." He handed me a pill, and I gladly took it. Anything to help the pain….

That night, the pain was just unbearable though. I never could get to sleep, or I couldn't sleep well, since last month. But this…. I clutched the sheets tight, curling into a ball in agony. I couldn't take the pain anymore….

* * *

I watched with dull eyes as Itachi bolted upright, eyes bloodshot and an insane look in his eye. That woke me up. What he did next I couldn't believe. He started _laughing_. He was in hysterics. Tears were streaming down his face in sheer agony, yet he laughed. It made no sense to me. Then it was just sad. Sad that he was really so sick that he was that hysterical. The doctor came then, to see what was going on….

The next day, I had nothing really to do. There were no missions, and one of the only people who accepted me, was gone. There was Team Hebi, but I wasn't really in the mood to hear Karin and Suigetsu fight. Being around Itachi made me sad…. He had tried to eat today, but his stomach couldn't keep it down. He threw his breakfast back up, along with a considerable amount of blood. Then the nurse had to put an IV in his arm so he'd get the vitamins he needed to live. Although, he was already deathly ill….

That night I found myself sitting on a lonely bench. "Sasuke…," I looked up to see Sakura giving me a sad look.

"Hey," I said simply, then looked back to the ground.

For a while, we sat in silence. "…I know about what happened." Her voice almost surprised me after the silence. "About how you liked Samantha…."

"Hmph," I replied.

"I just want to say that I'm sorry, and let you know… that I'm here to comfort you, if you need it." I thought she'd say more, but she stayed silent.

I looked at her to find her staring at the ground as I had, with sad eyes. "Thank you…. And… thanks for still being here for me even after all I've done…." I had to say that, though I didn't like it.

She looked at me, and gave a sort of lopsided smile.

* * *

I sat at my desk, hand pressed against my forehead. I needed to think. I pinched the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger. I was tired. I had stayed up all night thinking, plotting. _They went to their home dimension, right? Then why aren't they coming back? Natalie is a key…. She has vast knowledge about our world. Of its present, past, and even future._ That was the whole reason I had told Pain to give that deal to her. All I wanted was her knowledge. Then, once she gave it to us, she'd be extracted. It was as simple as that. I had no intention to spare her life.

But _that _plan obviously didn't work. _Damn you Deidara…. _I thought bitterly. Then I went back to what I had thought of before. _If they _had _gone to the real world, shouldn't they be back by now? Have they changed their plans? Have they betrayed their allies, their "friends?" Why don't they come back? It's been four months. Is Natalie okay? _My eyes widened and I loosened the grip on my nose. What _did I just think? Was I _really _just worrying about someone's well-being? And Natalie, of all people. She's an enemy! I want her _dead_!_ I grabbed my mask, irritated with myself, and headed to my room.

I needed some sleep.

* * *

Well... I hope you like it! And yes, Sam finally found a way to get back at me for making Sasuke like her. If you figure it out, COOKIES FOR YOU! If not, COOKIES ANYWAYS! :D Everybody deserves a cookie.


	4. Chapter 3

__

Chapter 3

So finally, I stopped being mad at the world. That was a good thing, right? I even made an attempt at getting closer to my old friends again. I tried to finally accept Apple into my circle of friends, too. You see, I had had a circle of friends for a long time, and it was always made of the same people. It was hard for new people to be invited into it, but not impossible. Sarah and Alexis had managed to get in, after all, and they were the most recent additions to my circle. Sometimes I found acquaintances; people I hung around when there weren't any friends around, the ones that kept me smiling anyway.

I began noticing things, too. I learned that Sam didn't really take a liking to Apple at first. I noticed that Apple liked to wear dresses and skirts. She liked checkered half-skirts, and floral dresses that were tight around the chest and stomach. She most often ended up wearing green, black, white, red, or brown as the main colors. I got more involved in the conversations at my table, and learned and discovered even more. Apple's favorite color was brown, and she loved to bake. "What do you bake?" I had asked.

"A lot of things! Although, I _do _have a sweet tooth, especially for chocolate," she answered. Sam perked up at this. Sam loved chocolate with a passion. The only problem was she ended up "chocolate drunk" when she had it. Most say it's a sugar rush or caffeine, but once she got "drunk" on _cheese_. How do you get a sugar rush from _cheese_? ("Because cheese is freakin' _awesome_," someone had answered when I asked.)

Apple, I learned, had also joined the environmental club. This proved she loved nature. She also mentioned once that she loved the beach. _I'll have to take her to the island sometime…, _I had thought absently.

I also began getting reminded of how my old friends were. Nadia was the funny one, the one that made the others laugh. She was very random, and it seemed her favorite word was "Bojangles!" I learned she had become best friends with Kyle, and still loved cupcakes. She also likes circles and triangles and chicken and muffins…. Well, as I said, she was random.

Then Mackenzie. She was also one of the funny ones, but often made perverted jokes (which didn't get any laughter from me). She was definitely the spazzy one. I heard her say, "What the fudge?" a lot as well. She didn't like to swear. Wait… how could she be perverted, yet be uncomfortable swearing?

Sarah. Oh, Sarah…. Sarah was certainly perverted, just as Mackenzie was. She was spastic and hyper. She had one of the strangest laughs… and she sometimes even cried when she laughed hard enough.

And back to Apple. She was really nice, actually. She was loud, talkative, sweet, and caring…. I couldn't believe that I hadn't noticed her bright green eyes before.

I could never get completely involved, however, as the memories of the Naruto world kept nagging at my mind, even when I wasn't thinking about it. I just _wanted _to go back _desperately_. And yet, I hadn't cried. Not yet, anyway….

Another two weeks passed, and it was Friday. After school, I headed back into the woods, to see if my old tree house was still there. I smiled sadly, nostalgic, when I saw it. I climbed onto the platform, and brushed off the leaves and dust. I slid my hand against the old wood, thinking of the times before the disappearance happened. Before I had responsibility. Before I knew of true pain. Before _everything_.

I went back home eventually, and looked around for my mom. From what I remembered, she'd be home by now, but there was no car in the driveway. She wasn't home yet? Well, I could just pass the time…. I looked around. I had a Wii… a shelf of books to read… a TV to watch… and a computer to… compute. I decided to try the computer. I hadn't been on one in over three years, so I amazed myself when I found I could still type considerably fast.

The first thing I did (after I turned it on, of course) was go to the internet; I went to Narutopedia. There was something I needed to look up…. The page came up. What had Sarah said…? I typed "Natari" into the search box, and waited to see what would come up. I watched wide-eyed as the pictures and words appeared on the screen.

There was a picture of me in a box, and below the box there was basic information. It showed the episode of my "debut," along with a box that said "Appears in American anime only." Then there was a section labeled "Personal" that went something like this:

Birth date: December 21

Gender: Female

Age: varies

This was followed by my height, weight, and affiliation. (My affiliation was both Konohagakure and Akatsuki.) To the left there was a simple introductory sentence: "**Natari** is one of the two mysterious people that first appeared in a clearing." The articles had my background, personality, appearance, and abilities, followed by the arcs I was shown in.

In the "Background" section it mentioned I was from "a far-off land, still unknown, possibly across the ocean of the Naruto world." It said that I always tried to make it home…. But in the "Personality" section it said, "Despite her determination to make it back to her homeland, she often set it aside for the well-being of those who were close to her." All of this was true.

I was surprised, believe me. I immediately scrolled to the top and searched "Samansa." Soon, there was a picture of Sam on the screen.

I was reading through it until I heard the back door open. I immediately closed the window and got up to greet my mom. Only… it wasn't my mom. It was her new boyfriend. "Oh, hi," I said with a smile.

"Hello," he grinned.

"Do you know where my mom is?"

"Your mother? She's… still at work, probably."

"Really? Is she working late?"

"Oh, no. She's had to work overtime for awhile now."

My smile faded. "…Really? I… didn't know."

"Of course you didn't know. Nothing to worry about." The door opened and closed behind him. "Oh, _hello_, honey!" he said as he turned. My mom, with her bags, stood in the doorway. She smiled at us. "You're home early!"

After I asked my mom for permission, I grabbed a few things and headed out to sleep in the tree house that night. "Love you, miss you, kiss you, bye!" I called as I left. Yes, I did say that. It was a farewell I had made in elementary school, and still used it, even then.

I set the tree house up nice, placing three pillows down, along with a sleeping bag, then a lantern to the right of where I'd lay, with a book beside it. The sunset was beautiful that night, even if it was blood red. That color sunset reminded me too much of…. Well, you know. The last time I had seen a sunset that red was the night I told Sam about the future of the Naruto world. The night Orochimaru had died, not that that mattered to me.

I lay down with a comfy smile on my face; in that moment, I was actually happy. Soon, though, the light began to fade, and I gazed up at the stars. It was weird. I don't know how to put it…. The sky was so… _real _here. My smile faded eventually, and my eyes grew sad.

"I'd give _anything_ to go back." I paused. "_Almost _anything," I corrected myself, half-expecting the devil to pop out of nowhere and ask for my soul. Anything like that didn't exactly seem surprising anymore. I looked at the stars with now pleading eyes. "_Please,_ Lord. All I want is to go back, even if it's only once more. I just want them to know…." I felt the tears prickle at my eyes. "I just want to let them know why…. Just why…. That's all I ask. I'd do nearly _anything_. Just… _please_. Please…." My voice trailed off, and, in the silence, tears began streaming down my cheeks. "At least let me see them one more time…," I whispered. "Just one more time…."

I heard twig snap down below, and I gave a small gasp in surprise. I heard a muffled curse, then rustling. "Come out," I said in a now-steady voice. I wiped the tears of my cheeks, grateful of the darkness that hid them. A figure came out of the brush, which had long blond hair… put up in a ponytail…. The first thing I thought was, …_Deidara?_

I turned and lit the lantern, and, as my eyes adjusted, I held it over the ground below me to see who it was. Is _it him? _I wondered. But no…. It wasn't him, but a girl with the same hair, and the same color eyes. I squinted in confusion. "Who are you?" I asked.

"Ashlie, Ash if you want. Who're you?" the girl answered.

"…Natalie. What are you doing out here this late at night?"

"I ran away."

I blinked in surprise, but didn't ask why. That was personal, although I was curious. "Need a place to sleep?" I offered. "I have an extra pillow, and I don't really need a blanket."

She broke into a smile. "Sure; thanks." She climbed up to where I was, and I found how tall she was; about two centimeters shorter than Kisame. And Kisame was tall. I patted the bare area on the other side of the lantern, put a pillow on her side, and got out of the sleeping bag to give to her.

After she got comfortable, we just lay silent. "You'll go back home eventually, right?"

"Pfft, no. The only thing _I _miss is my dog," she answered. This worried me. Were her parents abusive? That would be horrible. "I'm just sick and tired of being compared to my '_oh _so perfect' twin."

Huh, that was bad too. I'd _hate_ that. Maybe I'd run away too. Maybe. Well, at least it wasn't abuse…. I'd have had to go to my mom on that one. "You have a twin?"

"Hmph, yeah. I don't want to talk about her though."

"Oh, no, I understand."

More silence. "Thanks for a place to stay," Ashlie said quietly after a while.

I smiled in the dark. Maybe she'd be able to stay in my house, if my mom didn't just send her home. Maybe even take her into my school…. Just until her parents came and showed her they loved her. Unless they didn't, but that possibility was doubtful. "You can stay here every night if you'd like," I offered.

"Really?"

"Yeah, maybe I can even convince my mom to let you stay at my house. After all, the colder months are coming…."

"Wow; that would be great…. Thank you." I drifted off after that. I don't know if she said any more….

* * *

I stood in the woods – when did I get up? _How did I get here? _I wondered. _Is this a dream?_ I began to walk through the woods, faster and faster. I was afraid; worried of something. But… what? Suddenly, I was physically gone. I could see, though. I rushed ahead with speed I didn't have. I soon stopped above my house.

My vision zoomed in from where I was, and soon, I could see in the house. There was my mom and her boyfriend…. Who the hell were_ those _three?There were three others, although only seeming shadows. One seemed to look right at me, and my eyesight continued zooming in, to the person. He (she?) smirked, and I shuddered. Then all of the sudden the figure jumped at me.

I sat upright in the tree house, the boards beneath me squeaking slightly. Ash, nearby, turned in the sleeping bag and look at me. "Something wrong?" she asked in a whisper.

"There's someone in my house."

She sat up, rubbing her eyes. "How do you know?"

"A dream."

"A… dream? Like a vision or something?" I nodded, then began climbing down the tree. "Hey… wait for me!" She quickly got out of the sleeping bag and climbed down.

"Careful of where you walk!" I called, already running in the direction of my home. It seemed only midnight, maybe early in the morning, and I could barely see. The dark barriers I assumed to be trees I avoided. As for the ground obstacles, I dodged to the best of my ability, stumbling occasionally. If only chakra worked here… then I'd get back much faster. As I ran, I began to remember….

_I stood deep in the woods, the canopy blocking out most of the light. _How did I get here?_I wondered. I thought a moment. _This must be a dream._ I began to walk on the path, my pace getting faster and faster. I was afraid. But… what was I afraid of? Suddenly, I was gone. I could still see everything around me, but me, myself was gone. I was there, just not physically. I rushed ahead with speed I didn't have. I soon slowed, and stopped above a clearing. Something was going on down there, but what? My vision seemed to zoom in, from right where I was. There were five people…. Two of them were Sam and Gaara, and the other three were…_Kabuto, Sasuke, and Orochimaru?_ What the hell was the Snake Squad doing here? Without my consent, my eyesight kept zooming in. Orochimaru looked seemingly straight at me, and licked his lips. I shuddered. Then, so suddenly, he rushed out at me. I sat bolt upright in bed. With all of my experience in dreams, I knew this meant something: Sam and Gaara were fighting those three outlaws, and they were still in the Land of Fire._

I drew my lips into a thin line as I ran. Whenever I thought of those times, as I once mentioned, I felt a sharp pang, but sharper than it used to be. It wasn't as if I were stabbed, but for a second… my _heart _hurt, and after that second I was simply sad. I went deep into thought, of what had happened…. But I'd soon emerge, and went back what I was doing. That's how each pang was, more or less.

I shook my head (which was kinda confusing since I was running as I did that). My legs were getting sore, simply because I was used to being able to put extra energy – chakra – into my legs. Now I couldn't do that. I pushed on, and soon found the back view of my house up ahead – the woods was in my backyard after all. I sped up when I saw the white, two-story house – I had an attic, but it was only a crawlspace – and stopped to catch my breath only once I had reached the back door.

I soon took a deep breath and opened the door, being very cautious. I heard a thump up ahead, and rushed to the opposite wall. Ever so carefully, I peeked into the entryway to the dining room, and, finding nothing there, I stepped into the open. Bad idea. Here's a note: always double-check. "Well, well, well…. Looks like she's here," someone said.

"She's who we're looking for? She doesn't look like much," another voice said.

"Yes, she is. Now stop disrespecting your boss, damn it!" a third voice said.

Oh. Crap. There were three of them. _Well, I may be outnumbered, but they're outmatched against my ninja skillz. _Yes, I even _thought _that with a "z." I'm just that awesome. _…Unless they have a gun. If they have gun, well…._

I ran at the shadow nearest me, and fake punched to the face, which he caught, and instead punched him in the stomach. He gasped, having had the air knocked out of him, certainly not expecting that. While he was vulnerable, I kicked him as hard as I could in the chest. He skimmed backwards, crashing into my mom's china cabinets, the glass shattering. Whoops….

I turned ready to face one of the other two. Dang, you'd think they'd be a bit stronger than that. What I didn't see was the man that was actually behind me. He put a gun to my head; I could feel the metal against my temple. _Oh dear God…, _I thought. _Okay, just pretend it's Sasuke's sword. Sasuke can lengthen his swords range by channeling electricity out of it, right? So, a gun is kinda like that. Only the range is bigger. And more deadly. And made of metal. Damn, I hope I don't die…._

"Don't move, _little girl_," the man still in front of me said. I assumed he was the leader of the group. A low groan came from the direction of the china cabinet, and I couldn't help but smirk slightly. However, there was still a gun pointed to my head, so that happiness was short-lived. At the back of my mind I began to wonder how the hell I got myself into these situations. I still remembered the times when I had longed for action….

Of course, I disobeyed who I now dub "The Boss" and decided to duck quickly and sweep my leg against the other's, knocking him off-balanced. He dropped the gun, getting a grip on the arm of the couch to steady himself. Seeing him, still as a shadow in the gloom, get to his feet, I called him simply "The Shadow." I decided to myself that the third one, the one who was now probably covered in glass shards, would be called "The Klutz." Not very creative, I suppose, but oh well.

I grabbed the gun, and effectively disposed of it, throwing it in the direction of the front hall. Well… I guess that's not disposing of it, but they still had to get past me before they could reach it. So now, it was a fair match. If you consider two grown-ups against a kid that was trained as a ninja fair, that is.

Then the struggle began, and, I must say, The Shadow must have known martial arts. I wasn't so sure about The Boss, as he stood simply watching the two of us fight. And, although I couldn't see it, The Klutz was getting to his feet as well. Finding The Shadow and my fight wasn't going anywhere, The Boss waved him away and began fighting me himself. He was good, I'll grant him that. He caught my punch, and, as he squeezed my hand tighter and tighter he said lightly, "We came here for _you_."

I threw a punch with my other hand, which he also caught, and began to squeeze until I could feel my bones grinding together beneath my flesh. I admit it, it hurt. Jeez, if I couldn't stand up to a normal adult, it was no wonder Madara beat the crap out of me. "Why the hell would you want _me_, huh?" I asked. Okay, I was curious.

"You're a girl that's been missing for two years, but has come home unharmed, without even a scratch. With your parents having been so worried about you, they'd be simply _devastated _to find she's gone missing again," he answered. I swear I could hear the smirk in his voice. "And if we take you, maybe we can get a good ransom out of you."

I threw a kick, which he dodged with his elbow, then made a swift movement, hooking my foot in the crook of his arm. He then let go of my fists, causing me to fall backwards. I took the only option open, and kicked him as hard as I could where the sun don't shine. He dropped me and fell to his knees. I always thought that was an unfair advantage, so I tried not to take it, but now was an exception.

The Klutz came from around the corner, and I could almost _feel _the anger coming off him in waves. "You won't have the _chance_ to knock me down _this _time," he said with venom. He rushed at me, throwing a series of punches and kicks that I found hard to keep up with. Only now did Ashlie make her grand entrance. I saw her out of the corner of my eye as I dodged and occasionally threw a punch back.

She ran back to the kitchen, and came back with a pan. Skirting around The Boss, she hit The Klutz over the head as hard as she could, leaving a resonating clang from the vibration of the metal. I relaxed. "Thanks."

The Shadow's head snapped up, and I could tell he was annoyed. "Good job," he muttered. "Now I have to take both of them back."

"Oh, you're not going _anywhere_," Ashlie threatened, raising the pan.

"_Mom!_" I called as loud as I could. "Ashlie, can you make sure The Shadow doesn't get away?"

"The shadow…?"

"Sorry," I said, and pointed to him. "That guy."

Her figure nodded.

"I'll be right back." I rushed up the carpeted stairs, ran around, and knocked on my mom's bedroom door. I then opened the door, without waiting for an answer. "Mom, are you awake?" I hear a mumble. "Mom!"

She looked at me with bleary eyes, her boyfriend snoring on the other side of the bed. "What is it, honey?" she asked.

"There are people in the house!"

"_What _people? What do you mean, _in the house_?" she asked, suddenly alert.

"C'mon!" I said and grabbed her arm, pulling her upright. If this were a normal situation, she'd probably be considerably slower – she was never a morning person. Never was, never will be. That's just my mom.

When we got down the brown carpeted stairs, she looked around the living room. The Klutz was passed out on the floor by the couch, The Boss on the ground beside him. (I swear I could still hear him whimpering lightly.) Then there was Ashlie with the pan still raised, and The Shadow by the window.

My mom stopped, and thought. She was always a thinker, she was… pensive, if you will. Her brains were always a little bit above average, from a child to now. "_Go upstairs,_" she whispered.

I nodded, and rushed upstairs to get her boyfriend. He was strong; a football player and coach. None of the three men knew he was up there yet, so I assumed she wanted me to grab him. So that's what I did. I stopped him halfway down the stairs, and peeked around the corner to see what was happening. My mom still stood there, waiting for The Shadow to make the first move. Or maybe Ashlie _and _The Shadow. She didn't know Ashlie yet. Only then did I realize how hungry I was. I hadn't had dinner. Oops.

Eventually, The Shadow said simply, "'Sup?"

"What's happening? Do you need any… help?" my mom answered after a moment's hesitation. She was stiff, nearly frozen in fear, but she stayed very cool and calm; she was feeling things out. She was trying to pretend as though she were walking in on something normal. My thought was her motherly instincts were the only thing that kept her functioning properly.

"Yeah," he answered. "Both of my friends are no help; one is out cold, the other whimpering like a kicked puppy, and there's a girl threatening to hit me with a pan if I so much as move a muscle."

My mom looked to Ashlie. "Uh-huh…. Okay…. So… what can I help _you _with? What makes you feel the need to do this?"

Ashlie hesitated at first, as though unsure of what to say. "You're… Natalie's mom, right?" My mom tensed, then nodded. "Well, I'm doing this because I'm not too enthusiastic about watching Natalie get kidnapped. I just met her, but there's no way I'd let that happen."

"So… you're a friend." Ashlie nodded. "And what of you, then?" my mom asked, directing her question to The Shadow.

His silhouette shrugged. "They were my boss's orders, nothing more. I didn't even want to come here."

"Who is your boss?"

He jerked a thumb towards The Boss, who was only just pulling himself together. He began inching towards the other side of the room…. "Ashlie!" I called, showing myself. "Don't let him get to the gun!" Without question, she turned and hit him on the head with the pan, as she had done with The Klutz.

"Great…," The Shadow muttered. "Now _both _of them are out cold."

My mom turned and whispered to me, "_Call the cops_."

I nodded. _That _was a good idea. Gee, why didn't _I _think of that? Maybe because I hadn't been able to use a telephone for the past three years? Maybe. I walked down the remaining stairs, and grabbed the phone. And, obviously, I called the cops. Not really an eventful conversation. Really. All I did was tell the lady there were people in my house with a gun, and where I lived.

I went back to the living room, and The Shadow didn't make any move, so we just sorta waited for the cops. Before I knew it, they were here. The first thing they did – other than call out to make sure we were here – was turn on the light. Why none of us turned on the light, I don't know. Whatever. Now that the light was on, though, I could finally see what the guys looked like. Mom's boyfriend came down the steps, slightly confused. Oops. I forgot about him….

The Shadow, even in the light, was kind of shadowy. His hair was raven black, which came down to just above his shoulders. Oh, and he had a knife in his hand. We couldn't see it in the dark, but I'm glad he hadn't used it. The Boss had longer, dark brown hair. A strand or two hung in front of his face, it's not like he'd fix it – he was out cold. The Klutz had bleached blond hair – it was a wonder how we couldn't see it. It was just that dark. His shoulder length hair was pulled in a ponytail, short bangs hanging over his forehead. All three were wearing black.

To me, these three were nothing special. To the cops, well…. "These are the three that we've been chasing for a while now!"

"Who are they?" Ashlie asked.

The cop pointed to the boss. "That's the infamous Bob, the boss of their group. The blond haired one is George, his right-hand man. Then that one," – he jerked his thumb at The Shadow – "is Steven, the newest addition."

The cop took another look at me. "Hey… aren't you one of the girls that went missing for two years, then reappeared unscathed?" he asked.

Unscathed? Ha. I was plenty scathed. "Yep!" I said anyway.

Well, that little adventure on the second week of October had ended. Yeah, it was October now. It had been six weeks since we'd been "found." I wondered how long it had been for the Naruto world….

* * *

Six months.

Had it really been that long? Half a year! If I couldn't believe it, I had no idea how Itachi could even begin to comprehend it. He was all the worse since they left…. Oh, I hoped they'd come back. At least Sam. Not for me, but for Itachi. He had been murmuring they'd be back ever since they left, and, well… his life was fading fast. I just wanted him to get that last wish, so to speak, and see them – or her, I don't know – one last time.

"Show me again," Sakura said to me. I could tell she didn't want to see it; what Itachi had been doing, starting two months ago. He wouldn't do it every night, but it was becoming more frequent each week. Nobody wanted to see someone slowly lose his sanity.

I gave a nod. "Tonight."

She pulled her lips into a thin line and nodded. "Right."

The rest of the day was uneventful. That damned Madara hadn't made a move yet. He was the one who tainted the family name, and I planned on killing him. I did my best, though, to not let revenge control me. That had happened once before, and that was a horrible mistake.

I went to the hospital when it was starting to get late. Sakura was already there; she forced a smile when she saw me. When I didn't smile back, she got the idea and we just walked in silence. I don't think she liked that, though, as she tried to start a conversation. "Yasuko's been missing for a while now… I wonder what happened to her. I hope she's okay."

"Hn," I answered. Nothing more, nothing less. I wasn't in the mood to talk. Not when I knew what I was going to see.

We turned the corner, and walked to the door I had gone through so many times before. It was closed, as it should be. From the other side, I could hear my brother having a coughing fit. Bracing myself, I slowly opened the door. Sakura and I just stood in the doorway, watching him; Sakura pulled out a small notebook. She was going to take notes, then show them to Lady Tsunade.

Itachi was sitting up, and breathing hard from the coughing fit he had had moments earlier, a line of blood coming from his mouth. His gaze was shadowed; I couldn't see his eyes, but I could see the line of tears falling from them. They fell to the light blanket, creating a muffled dripping sound. His hands clutched tight to the blanket. Then, his lips slowly curled upwards into a smile, as though it was painful to do so.

It probably was.

He began to chuckle, but his hand flew up to his mouth and he had another coughing fit. Blood dripped between his fingers. The dry coughs turned into choking sobs; the pain was too much. I could only imagine the pain he was in right now. "Sasuke…," he choked out, trying to look to the chair where I usually sat.

"Over here," I said softly.

He turned to look at me. It was strange; his eyes looked in my general direction, but they seemed… dead. It was more of a blank stare. "Sasuke…. Where are they? When will they be back?"

"I don't know," I said truthfully; sadly, knowing exactly who he was talking about.

"Where are you Sasuke?"

I took a step forward. "Here. With you."

"Where are you Sasuke?" he repeated. "Where did everybody go? Everyone… everything…. It's all gone…." He returned to those choking sobs. This was painful for me to watch. Heartbreaking.

I pulled my lips into a thin line, holding back my own tears. To think, I nearly killed him a little over half a year ago. Sakura had a pained expression as well. She walked over to the table next to his bed, and picked up a shot. "Calm down," she said soothingly. "It'll be alright." Itachi began trying to take deep, shuddering breaths. Sakura then wiped his arm, and gave him a shot.

Itachi gave a shuddering sigh, and relaxed. "A sedative," she whispered. "It's really all we can do: ease the pain."

I looked to the ground. _Where are you, guys? Please come back, soon…._

* * *

Well, uh, I hope you liked it! I can't really think of anything else to say, so... yeah.


	5. Chapter 4

Oh…. Was this what depression was like? Remember those sharp pangs I had? Well, now it was like it was a constant pang. My heart literally ached, I was always sad, and I felt as though I was always tired, never having the energy to do much. Luckily my grades didn't drop much. They actually got slightly better.

You see, it was hard to bear thinking about the world I left behind all the time. So, I did my best to get into work, and forget about it altogether; at least for the moment. Thus my grades went up. It was different for Sam, however. She drowned in their memory. So, her grades fell. Like a rock. I'm not kidding, either. It's just that she was already struggling in the first place.

I began to sit alone in lunch. The only person I'd allow to sit next to me was Sam, but normally she'd try and stay with friends. I didn't notice a girl come to my friends' table that I didn't even know. I didn't even notice it when my usually vacant table had a single visitor. I had never seen her before, and I didn't notice her when I sat down. I stared at the tray of spaghetti. I wasn't very hungry.

"Darn it," a girl muttered.

I looked up from my food. Sitting across the table was a girl with Tsunade-length blond hair with eyes the color of the sea. "Um… hi," she greeted.

"Hi…," I answered, not too enthusiastic about meeting someone new.

"I'm Agatha, the Polish exchange student. Nice to meet you."

I blinked. "I'm Natalie, one of the girls that went missing."

"Oh, really? I heard about that…." I caught her staring at my spaghetti.

"You want it?" I asked. "I'm really not hungry…."

She was about to answer when some guy walked by, snickering. "Heya, emo." I first I thought he was talking to me – I _had _been depressed lately – until I saw Agatha was angered by this comment.

"Shut up!" she called, then muttered, "Jeez, I'm here one day and they're already calling me emo. I wonder how long it'll take for them to call me 'Naruto Maniac' or 'Freaky Blondie.'"

I looked up at the word "Naruto." Then, of course, I winced at the thought of them. "You… you're into Naruto?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yep!"

I looked down again. "Really? So am I…."

"Cool!"

Neither of us really talked much after that. I wasn't exactly very talkative. Jeez, I felt as though I'd never smile again! Soon I was in French – if only I could learn more Japanese…. The teacher was talking to us about verbs and stuff, I think. The teacher was cut short in the middle of a sentence, when someone's cell phone said, "_Paging Doctor Faggot!" _The teacher stood with her mouth slightly open, not knowing how to react, while the kids in class started to laugh.

I smiled slightly. Okay, maybe I _would _smile again.

After school that day, I was staying late. I had offered Apple to stay late to meet her after environmental club. I had offered a while ago, so I wasn't really in the mood for it, but I always tried to keep my word. I waited in the hallway, leaning against a locker. I just wanted to be home, but that wouldn't be too nice to abandon her. I sighed and hung my head, closing my eyes.

"Hey," a guy said. I didn't look up. I figured he was talking to someone else. "What the hell? The bitch didn't answer me!" _That _was when I looked up. There were two guys in the hallway; oh joy. I looked around. Oh _right_. I was the only other person in the hall. Of course they were talking to me.

"Why didn't you answer my buddy?" the other one asked. Both were older, probably in 11th or 12th grade.

"I'm sorry," I answered half-heartedly.

"Sorry doesn't cut it," the first guy said, stepping closer. Jeez, he had temper. All I did was not say hi.

I raised my eyebrows. "Angry?" I asked.

"Why don't you shut up?" he asked, stepping closer. The other guy just sighed, and took a step back.

"I thought you _wanted _me to speak?"

"Not anymore! So _shut the hell up_!" Another step.

"Fine," I said, and zipped my lips, saying, "Zip it, lock it, put it in my pocket." His jaw clenched. Yeah. He had a _bad _temper. He took another step closer, and I realized how close he was to me. And behind me was a locker. _Great_…. I think this guy was crazy, since his hand closed around my neck, and he lifted me up. Seriously. That isn't very nice, is it? "Gee, you sure have a temper," I said.

His grip tightened. I grimaced, and he smirked. See? The guy was nuts! The smirk turned to a grin as he balled his free hand into a fist and punched me in the stomach. Lovely. I felt like my eyes were going to pop out; I couldn't get the breath knocked out of me since I was being choked. I fought to stay conscious. As black rimmed my eyes, I remembered….

"_Rasengan!" Naruto yelled. "No…. Don't… hurt him," I said, or basically squeaked. I was getting dizzy from lack of blood flow to the head. And oxygen. I kinda needed oxygen. Obviously. Juugo's grip tightened and I grimaced in pain. Juugo grinned. He put his free hand into a fist and punched me hard in the stomach. I couldn't cough. I couldn't breath. Stars began crawling like bugs over my sight; fireflies. Then black spots, big bugs; cockroaches, maybe? I blinked, fighting hard to stay conscious._

Tears pricked at my eyes. Now wasn't the time to cry. I summoned up my will, and took action. I kneed him in that _special place_, and he released my neck. I fell to my knees, gasping for air. "Natalie!" I looked to my left. Down the hall was Apple, fists clenched and anger burning in her eyes. I could have sworn her eyes were purple instead of their normal green, but my eyes were still fuzzy from lack of oxygen.

I gave her a forced smile and said, "I'm fine, I'm fine."

She shook her head, as though to clear it, then said, "Let's go."

I went home that Friday – holy chiz next week was Halloween – to find that my two nieces, Annalisa and Sierra, would be coming to sleep over. I was glad, too. Not only would it keep my mind off _them_, but I also hadn't seen them since the family reunion soon after I got home – eight weeks ago.

I couldn't wait to see them, and I couldn't believe that Anna would be eight soon, and Sierra was now thirteen! It was hard to believe…. Both Anna and Sierra rushed to glomp me straight when they saw me grinning at them. It wasn't a fake grin, either. I was happy to see them. "Where were you for so long?" Anna asked. "I missed you!"

I stand corrected. They couldn't come to the family reunion, I now remembered. "She was on vacation, I told you," Sierra said.

I gave a sad, nostalgic smile. "An extended vacation."

"Then why was everyone so worried?" Anna asked.

"Because I was lost, and couldn't find my way home," I answered.

Anna gasped. "Can we go _upstairs_?" Upstairs was the play area for her. I had so many things she could play with in the toy room, along with my room. There was a box or two of Barbie stuff, plenty of Littlest Pet Shop toys, and a few Polly Pockets scattered around.

I smiled. "Of course!" The three of us went through the dining room, into the living room, and up the brown carpeted stairs. From there we went to my room. I haven't described it yet, have I? It was painted yellow, with a white-metal bunk bed that had a bigger bed on the bottom and a smaller bed on top. I had already set up the top bunk for Anna, with a white blanket with yellow flowers. The bottom bunk had the usual red poofy blanket. And I don't mean poofy as in fuzzy, either.

There were a few Naruto posters on the walls – the Akatsuki poster by my bed and an original Naruto poster on the opposite wall – along with a few animal posters. (Actually, a lot of my old Naruto stuff had been given away in the time that I was gone.) In the far right corner was a Popason (at least I think that's how it's spelled) chair that had a lot of extra pillows resting in it. Then was a wooden bookshelf, and, following that, a drawing table. There were two windows, one by the drawing table, and the other by the bed. By the bed there was a nightstand. Nice, right?

Sierra pointed to the Akatsuki poster and asked, "Are you still into Naruto?" I forced a smile, and nodded. "Really? Oh! I finally made it to Shippuden in the manga! Isn't that great? I can't wait to get to the part where Suigetsu comes in!" Yes. My niece was a fangirl of Suigetsu.

"Tobi's better," Anna huffed as she brought in a bunch of Littlest Pet Shops from the toy room. I probably should have described my nieces, too, considering I just described my room. They were there too. Anna had very light brown – almost dirty blond – wavy hair that was much longer than when I last saw it; it almost went to her waist. Her hair was pulled back today, and parts of the front of her hair hung down, much like Itachi's. But wavy. Then Sierra had chest-length dark brown hair that had only a slight wave. It was pulled back as it nearly always was, so that she almost looked like a dark-haired, girl Hidan; if you couldn't see the ponytail, anyway.

I smiled and shook my head at Anna's comment. Even now, she didn't understand how Tobi could be so nice, but so evil at the same time. She had no idea. Sierra turned to me. "Where's The Banana?" I blinked, then laughed.

Again, I had forgotten some of the nicknames I had for the Naruto "characters." The Banana happened to be Deidara. She wasn't actually talking about _him_, though. She was talking about the stuffed animal that _represented_ him. "In here," I answered, and led her into the other room. This room used to be my room, until I moved into the other room. I walked to the closet to find a big plastic bag of all the stuffed animals that had been on my bed or in my room.

I stuck my hand in and pulled something out. I dropped it in surprise. "_Ah! Karl!_" Sierra cried. I had pulled out a rubber snake. Kicking it back into the closet, I pulled out another. This time I looked at where I was grabbing, though.

"Here he is," I said, pulling out an arctic fox. Yeah…. Deidara was an arctic fox.

"Are you and me in there?" I looked around and pulled out a black-and-white cat and a pink-and-white cat. She was the pink-and-white one. "Where's Sui?" Sui was short for Suigetsu. She pronounced it 'soo-ee,' by the way. Like a pig call. I pulled out the old husky dog. She squeaked in delight and hugged it.

"Anyone else?" I asked.

"How about Sam?" I blinked, and pulled out the small white tiger. "And The Weasel." Itachi. I pulled out the orange tiger. "And… Sarah?" I pulled out the black and white dog. "And Hi Hi!" One, she meant Hidan. Two, she pronounced it 'hee-hee,' not the way someone would say hello. I pulled out the panda. "And Sauce," she said, though I wasn't too sure she liked that choice. Sauce was, of course, Sasuke. I pulled out the toucan. "And Anna, of course!" I pulled out a small, white kitten with blue eyes. Cuddly.

"And Tobi!" Anna called from my room. With a sigh, I pulled out the golden retriever. Sierra and I each grabbed half of the stuffed animals and went back to my room. We all had a fun imaginary game. I especially enjoyed it, because I could pretend these were actually those people. I could pretend that I was back there. That none of these problems existed. What was weird was the fact that Anna and Sierra kept using the nicknames. For example, Zesty was Zetsu. The Scorpion was Sasori. Snickers was Kakuzu.

After noticing how I didn't remember most of the nicknames, both reverted back to their original names. That helped. That's pretty much how the night went. We had fun, ate, then had fun some more. Fun. My nieces hadn't changed much at all, personality-wise. Anna was still hyper, crazy, innocent, and loving; and Sierra was still hyper and… a lot like me, actually.

Anna slept on the top bunk that night, and Sierra slept on the bottom bunk, with me. In the middle of the night, I had the creepy nightmare again, the one with the eyes. Now that I was awake, I was alone with my thoughts. That was a bad thing. Before I knew it, I found myself with tears streaming down my cheeks. I tried to control it for fear that Sierra would wake up, but to no avail. Once I began, I couldn't stop.

"Natalie?"

It was a soft whisper. Sierra. She had woken up, and I was to blame from keeping her from reentering a peaceful, untroubled slumber. I swallowed, then did my best to keep my voice steady when I said, "…Yeah?" My voice cracked anyway, and I sighed.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?"

I didn't answer at first. I was thinking of what to say. I could say simply that I had a horrible nightmare – which wasn't a lie. I could say that I couldn't sleep, that my mind was reminding me of things that had happened while I was missing. That wasn't a lie, either. However, I remembered something. Sierra was, of all of my friends, the one who most believed in magic, even now. She'd actually believe everything that happened. All I had to do was spill everything. Tell the whole story.

_But should I? _I couldn't help but wonder. _Should I tell her? Should I put all of my trust in her? Should I tell her a fantasy I lived, and expect her to believe me? Should I place the burden on her shoulders? Should I put into her head horrible images, take away that innocence? Should I?_

Then the question changed. It wasn't so much _should _I, but _would _I? Whether or not I _should_ didn't matter. I didn't know the answer to that. Would I? I knew the answer to that. I was in a state of depression; I had lost friends, loved ones, promises, dreams, hopes. I couldn't take the burden on my own, nor with only Sam, and now was my only chance to lighten the load.

And so, I began my story.

* * *

I waited for her reaction. I held my breath, still facing away from her, just waiting to hear what she'd say. At first all I heard was silence. Then there was the sound of passing cars on the street, then of Anna's steady breathing, above us. I, however, stayed completely silent, and so did Sierra. So, I lay still, waiting, with bated breath. The time seemed last longer than I know it really did.

"I believe you."

I let out my breath, and looked at her, giving a sad smile. "Thank you."

* * *

God, I was sad. I know people used to call me depressed, but now I couldn't help but wonder what they thought _now_. If they thought I was depressed _then_, then now they must think I'd gone emo, or even made attempted suicide. Luckily, none of that happened. I just couldn't stop thinking about them. Natalie and I had been there for three years, two in this world. How the time worked I don't know, and I'll probably never figure it out, either.

There was a new girl at our table in lunch; it was getting more and more crowded. I wasn't too fond of being crowded, especially in the mood I was in now. I was in more of a _lonely_ mood. But anyway, this new girl seemed to know my friends, even though I'd never seen her before. I found comfort in being with my friends, so I still paid attention to their conversations, so I knew about her through others' words.

Haruka Tsukuyomi had black, shoulder-length hair with dark red bangs, along with coal black eyes. She was an orphan; there was no known family. She seemed smart, bright, and cheerful, but every once in a while I'd see a sad look in her eyes. A look of grief and fatigue. It seemed I was the only one who noticed that look in her eyes; I was only able to notice it from spending two years with Gaara. He most often only showed emotions through his eyes. I knew she was into Naruto too, for she obsessed over Naruto, Kiba, Gaara, Neji, Sai, Sasuke, and Itachi. It literally hurt to think about the Uchiha brothers especially, so I didn't exactly _like _it when she so much as mentioned them. Even something as simple as her last name – Tsukuyomi – was painful to hear.

As Natalie wrote, my grades dropped dramatically. It was exactly as she said: I was drowning in their memory. My thoughts were clouded and incoherent. When I was asleep, my dreams were fuzzy, thick, and strange. The one dream I seemed to have over and over again was just as strange as the rest.

There was no ground, yet what I stood upon seemed solid. The background seemed confused, almost as though it didn't know what to focus on; there were constantly changing swirls of color. The air was thick with confusion, sadness, pain…. It was almost as though there was no air to breathe. I was slow and sluggish, and I seemed to falling backwards onto nothing, in slow motion.

The thick air caught me, and held me midair, fitting my body in a perfect position so that I felt as though I were floating. Then the most beautiful music began to play; a soft, sad song that told a story. The colors continued to swirl, almost as though they were dancing to the melody. And every single time, I'd wake up and find I'd forgotten how the song went. Not the melody nor the lyrics could I recall. Nothing.

It was frustrating, but I did nothing about it. There was nothing to do. And so, I waited. There was nothing to do but think, be lost in my thoughts. So that's what I did.

* * *

I looked in the mirror and put my hair up for the first time since I had cut it. My hair had grown. Time did that. I did my hair just as I used to, letting some of it hang in front of my left eye. I tied my "new" Leaf headband to my forehead, and pulled out a drawer to grab my eye scope. I was going on a search over the forest around the training grounds and along the back hills, to try and find Yasuko.

Once the eye scope was attached, I headed out, my palm already readying some clay for me to mold. I'd be making my search from the skies. Sakura was looking today too. So was Karin, Sai, and Kiba. Kiba was there to try and catch her scent, Karin was there to sense her, Sai and I would search from the skies, and Sakura was there to heal if it were needed.

Five minutes into it, Kiba called from below, "I found something!" Sai and I immediately swooped down. The next thing I knew we were following a trail of blood. Sakura pulled her lips into a thin line, preparing herself. It led into a bush, and we looked behind it, afraid of what we would find.

We found Yasuko, unconscious, her head, leg, and chest bleeding. Sakura took action straight away.

We headed straight for the hospital afterwards, to get Yasuko a hospital room. I trailed behind Sakura and the others, hesitant to follow them. Everything seemed to go wrong after they left…. I stopped altogether when I heard singing. I turned to the source, finding the closed door of Itachi's hospital room. "_Took ni ite mo kimi ni todoku darou…._" (Perhaps I can reach you, even though you're far away….)

Itachi had been unresponsive for a few days now. He didn't recognize anyone; he'd be oblivious to our very presence. So… who was singing? Curious, I opened the door a crack. "_Kono boku ga kokoro kome okuru messeeji…." _(I send you this message with all my heart….) Through the crack, I found Sasuke, singing to a mumbling Itachi.

_Since when does Sasuke sing? _I couldn't help but wonder. Nevertheless, I listened to the song.

Kibou koso rashinban sa Ai wo yubisasu wo…. Nemure Sotto nemure Asu wa yume tairiku…." (Hope is certainly a compass that turns to love…. Sleep, sleep gently, for tomorrow is a continent of dreams….) He stopped, and tears began rolling down his cheeks.

_What song is this?_

Then he continued, "_Kodoku ni obiete ita yuube no kimi…. Boku no na wo yonde 'ta ne Mune ne terepashii…. Kiseki nanka ja nai Towa ni ai wa enajii da kara…. Nemure Sotto nemure Kanashimi wo wasurete…._" (Last night you were scared of loneliness…. The telepathy in your heart called my name…. It's not even a miracle that in the future out hearts will be energy…. Sleep, sleep gently, forget your sorrow….)

Itachi made no response, just continued to mumble. Occasionally you could make out a word or two, like "Samantha." _Why Samantha?_ I sometimes wondered. _Why would he call her name? _Sometimes you'd hear "someday," or "they'll be back." Sometimes even "hope" or "pain," and, every so often, "I'll wait." Sometimes he'd call for Sasuke, sometimes he'd never even mention him. Sometimes he'd even call for his parents. And sometimes… he'd actually respond, although as though in a daze.

I snapped back to reality when another voice joined with Sasuke, right on key; Itachi had begun to sing along. _He… he can hear him?_

"_Jidai wa umi ni shizumu yuuhi no you sa…. Hoshizora wo tobikoete kimi wo mukae ni yuku…. Hoshizora wo tobikoete kimi wo mukae ni yuku…." _(The years sink into the sea like the setting sun…. I'll jump across the starry sky to collect you…. I'll jump across the starry sky to collect you….)

The song ended then, and both became silent. Sasuke was smiling at Itachi through the tears. I later learned that the song he sang was a song that Mikoto Uchiha used to sing as a lullaby… long before now, to sing her beloved sons to sleep.

Minutes later, Itachi fell into a deep sleep, unable to wake up.

* * *

That guy in the beginning has serious temper problems, don't you think? Well, don't you worry, I promise I won't bore with too many more reunion-less chapters. We're getting there! And Agatha, sorry your coming in wasn't all that big. You're in the story more, I promise! Same with... everyone else! :D HAVE A WONDERFULLY WONDERFUL DAY!


	6. Chapter 5

Halloween. Oh, I hadn't celebrated Halloween in two years – three, on my watch. Fun. A week ago, I was depressed. Now, I felt as though I had accepted my sad fate. We were all at Mackenzie's house; Sam, Sarah, Mackenzie, me, and Mackenzie's new friend, Brittany. I'd never met her before, and neither had Sam. Or Sarah, but that's beside the point. I guess I should tell you how we dressed up – _yes_we dressed up – so here I go:

Sam was a zombie bride, Sarah was Hidan, Mackenzie was a frog, I was an insane lunatic that broke out of an asylum, and Brittany was Orochimaru. What a group.

Brittany, by the way, was around five feet seven inches, with dishwater blondish blackish brownish hair. She was… well, to put it in a word, hyper. Extremely hyper. Maybe it was from the candy, I don't know. I really don't know how else to describe her. She was Naruto-obsessed, as you probably guessed by her costume. Oh, and she was madly in love with Orochimaru. "110%," she said. Damn.

Sam was obviously disgusted and creeped out by this. So, Brittany and her began to argue, then Mackenzie came in and told Sam that Orochimaru was actually really cool, then Sarah argued that he wasn't, and then everyone was yelling at each other, and finally we all burst into laughter. How's that for a long sentence? But then, I can make longer….

Anyway, the point is, we all had a really good time. Even if Sam got Chocolate Drunk. Actually, Mackenzie, Sarah, and Brittany all found it amusing. Even I couldn't help but laugh.

Brittany, or Britt, as she liked to be called, and Ashlie, or Ash, as _she_liked to be called, began coming to our school. My table in lunch now had ten people: Sarah, Alexis, Mackenzie, me, Sam, Nadia, Apple, Haruka (or Haru…), Ash, and Britt. I was amazed at how we all had the same lunch. Maybe it was arranged, I don't know. Oh, and Ash moved into my house to stay until her parents came, too.

I looked at the old lonely table where I used to sit, my smile fading. Poor Agatha was still at that table. "I'll be right back," I said, and headed towards her. I found her sitting there, muttering to herself. "Agatha?" I asked. She looked up, and gave a small smile. "You're welcome to come to our table."

She looked at the table and replied, "Oh, no thank you. I don't really like being around people I don't know."

I pursed my lips, thinking. "Well, I don't want you to be alone, so do you mind if _I_sit here?"

"No, not at all." I sat down, and smiled. She smiled back. I squinted at her a moment.

"…Can you stand up a second?"

"Sure… why?"

We both stood. I walked up to her, and grinned. She was slightly shorter than me. "_Yes_!" I cried, throwing my fist into the air. "Finally, I meet someone shorter than me that's my age!"

She scowled and sat down, muttering, "Jeez, I'm shorter than Edward Elric." She paused. "Okay… almost as short."

In the halls, in homeroom, and even in class, I only now noticed the stares people gave me. Of course, now that I looked back, they turned away. It was almost as though they were afraid of me, and curious as to what had happened to me. I had been missing for two years here, after all.

Gym was going well. Today there was a substitute, so we were just going to play a fun game of Scatterball 2. Don't know it? It's really just a game where, if you have the foam ball, you can throw it at anyone and get them out. So the other players scatter. Of course, if you caught the ball, the thrower would be out. Plus, if you hit a person that got someone else out, the person or people that got out could go back in if the person that got them out gets out.

…I barely know what I just said.

Well, I hope you understand it more than I do! Anyway, someone right next to me had caught the ball. Just some random girl, I don't remember her name. She turned to me, grinning, knowing I was a goner. Yup, you guessed it: I was her target. You know, I almost found it funny how people got so into these games. They were only games. _I_had lived the real thing. I wonder what they'd think of the games if they went through what I did.

I faked a right, then jumped left, attempting to throw her off. It didn't work. She just threw the ball at my arm, and I landed. I was out, simple as that. As I walked to the side, I smiled. I remembered now….

_I __faked __a __right, __then __ran __left, __and __jumped, __taking __out __three __shurikan, __spreading __them __in __my __hand __almost __like __a __fan. __I __threw __them __at __Madara, __but __he __dodged __with __a __simple __kunai, __and __threw __it __at __my __arm. __I __landed, __my __feet __sliding __on __the __ground. __I __pulled __the __kunai __from __my __flesh__ – __it, __luckily, __wasn__'__t __that __deep__ – __and __threw __that __at __him __instead._

Ah yes, that was soon before I came back; it was during the final battle, when I was fighting Madara. I'd still be sad when I'd think of the world I left behind, but I had learned to accept that I just wasn't going back. Too bad….

* * *

I got on the computer. My mom and Marty had gotten a new computer, which I was glad of. The old one was slow. I smiled. _Let__'__s __see __here__…__._ I went on the internet. _What __had __Sarah __said__…__? _I went on Google, and searched up Natari and Samansa. Natalie said it wasn't a lie, she had looked us up. I looked at the results. My eye twitched and I promptly hit the _back _button.

"Oh dear God," I muttered. Note to self: the internet is evil. What I had found was Yuri. Sure, I was okay with lesbians, but I didn't like to be involved. This time I was going to search one name at a time.

This time I got better results. I looked at some of the pictures, the… fan art. I found that we were paired up with many people, actually. Some were reasonable, others made no sense. Seriously. I'd never even go _near_Orochimaru! Damn you internet…. Afraid of what I would find, I went on Youtube. Actually, there was nothing too bad there. Not that I saw, anyway. There were actually a few good music videos with us in it.

When I felt satisfied, I went onto Crunchyroll. I was going to catch up with the anime, even though the course of events had changed, in the American version.

* * *

I stared at the screen, wide-eyed. I was reading the manga, catching up with what I missed while I was gone those "two" years. I'd bet Sam was still on the anime. After staring at it a moment, I smiled. I had an idea. _I __might __be __able __to __get __Kisame __to__…__. _Then, I frowned, as I had remembered I wasn't able to put the idea to the test. I couldn't go to the Naruto world to try it out.

I sighed, and slumped in my chair. Oh, well. It wasn't like I could do anything about it. I continued reading.

* * *

I stood beside Sakura, having no idea how to comfort her. It was two months after they found Yasuko, and she wasn't getting any better. Itachi was still in a coma, as well…. Ten months since they left…. I was starting to get the feeling they weren't coming back.

Yasuko's eyes opened, and she looked to Sakura. "I need… to tell you what happened." Sakura gave a nod. "That boy…. He was an… albino, I had thought…. But I was wrong… horribly wrong…. He was… an experiment. A young boy that was grown… like a plant…. Without sunlight… he was pale…." She coughed. She was struggling.

Now that I thought of it, hadn't there been a supposed albino coming through the village gates while Deidara and I were standing there?

"Kabuto… had created him…. I was… barely able… to escape their hideout. There were so many—" She stopped short and had a coughing fit. When she was done, there was blood coming from the corners of her mouth, and she took deep, shuddering breaths. "They… wanted information…. I tried my best, but… Madara came and…."

Sakura gave her a sad smile. "It's okay," she whispered. "We know what he's capable of. It's not your fault."

"I'm just… glad I… got away," she continued. "I need to tell you…. Thank you, Sakura …. And you, Sasuke…." She swallowed. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for… ever doubting… you… and your brother. I hope… he pulls through…." She took a deep breath. "And… tell Natalie… when she gets back…. Thank… you…." Her eyes shut tight in agony, but then she relaxed, and let out a small sigh.

I heard a sniff to my right. Sakura's head was down, tears dripping from her nose and chin. Yasuko was gone.


	7. Chapter 6

Yes! Double update! And... This happens to be a very SPECIAL chapter... Hehe...

* * *

Huh. It had been about three months since "the reappearance." Twelve weeks, to be more specific. Natalie and our lives had been growing slowly back to normal. The Polish exchange student, Agatha, was being introduced one at a time to each of Natalie's friends, now. Each day a different person would go to the table with Natalie and Agatha. I was the first, and after that, Sarah, then Mackenzie, then Nadia, then Alexis, then… well, it was Friday.

And on this Friday, I was going to Natalie's to pick her up to go to my house. Home, sweet home…. Well, as my mom and I pulled in her driveway, there was an explosion in her backyard. Afterwards was a cackle of laughter. Worried, I rushed to the backyard. What I found….

There was a Natalie with a grin plastered on her face. "I haven't done that in _so long_," she said. I continued to stare at her, confused. "Wax explosion." I still had no idea what she was talking about. She sighed.

"Do I _want _to know?" I asked.

"I guess not," she said, and ran to get her stuff.

Once we got to my house, the first thing that was said was… actually, the first thing said was, "Gah! Buddy, get off of me!" followed by laughter. Buddy was one of my dogs, who had, of course, jumped on Natalie. Then Natalie asked me, "Are you ready?"

We had planned this for a reason. I had recorded a whole bunch of the American version of Naruto: Shippuden, and we were going to watch it. My mom and Marty were going out, so we had the house to ourselves. We fell asleep at around one o'clock, but Natalie woke me up early….

I hate getting up early.

We continued watching, and, just when we were getting to the good part, the doorbell rang. I sighed, and got up. Natalie wasn't going to be coming with me. I opened the door, to find the mailman. He was leaving a package by my doorstep. Not seeing me there, he got up and bumped right into me.

Once we had made contact, he knew I was there, and looked at me. He had short blond hair, and blue eyes. He just sort of stared at me a moment, jaw slightly hanging open. He soon caught himself, however, and held out his hand. "Hi," he said in a voice that sounded vaguely familiar. "I'm Nathan," he smiled.

I smiled back, and took his hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Sam. Well… Samantha, but I like Sam better." His eyes began to glow.

"…Do you happen to have… a friend, named… Natalie, perhaps?" he asked.

I blinked. "Yeah…. How do you know us? We had… gone missing for a few years…." His whole face lit up.

"_Sam_!" he cried, pouncing on me in a big hug. I pushed him back in surprise.

Gripping his shoulders, I looked at him again. My expression softened when I realized….

"Holy chiz," Natalie said, just walking in.

* * *

The TV went to a commercial soon after Sam left, so I decided to go and see who had come. As I walked down the hall, I saw two figures in the living room ahead. Wondering who the visitor was, I quickened my pace. I stopped short at the end of the hall, when I could see into the living room. "Holy chiz," I said, immediately recognizing who the boy in the mailman outfit was.

He looked at me, though not able to move his body; Sam was gripping his shoulders. "…Natalie?" he guessed.

I broke into a smile. "Are you…?" He continued to grin, and nodded. The energy and excitement built, until I let it out, yelling, "Naruto!" as I leapt to hug him. Sam soon joined in, kind of surprisingly, in a big group hug of three.

* * *

"What happened? How did you get here? Why didn't you answer the message?" I asked, completely and utterly excited. God, I hope I didn't get hyper. I needed to concentrate. Naruto, or "Nathan" as he was called here, had had to finish his newspaper round, and soon came back with a modernized Gaara. By the way, Gaara had his hair in a position so that you couldn't see the scar on his forehead that read "love," that he had made when he was younger. Also, Naruto didn't have the whisker-line-thingies on his cheeks. Kinda like how I didn't have a third eye on my forehead, and Sam didn't have white streaks in her hair.

And don't worry; Gaara didn't have some weird name like Gazpacho or anything like that. …It would be funny though. He was called Garret here. Not too far off, huh? Anyway, back to the conversation. "One, we have no idea what happened," "Nathan" said. "I think we disappeared the same time you did. Two… I just answered that. Three, we were here the whole time, and had no idea how to get back."

We were in Sam's room, too, I forgot to mention. We were all sitting on her bed, in kind of like a circle, all facing one another. Sam and I were in "the hole." Her bed had an air mattress, and the side against the wall was always slightly deflated. "You were here the whole time?" Sam asked. …Actually, it was more of a statement.

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Yeah… sorry it took awhile to find you…. I got the mailman job so I could see if I could find you. Gaara here works as a carpet cleaner." Gaara gave a curt nod. Naruto gave a weak laugh.

"So… we waited _three months_… thinking the portal had collapsed… and we could have gone back the entire time," Sam said. Yeah, more of a statement than a question.

I glanced at her. "Sam…."

"Um… yeah. So, uh, now what?" Naruto asked.

I blinked, then began thinking of plans in my head. I grinned. "Next weekend. We'll all have a big party. A welcome back party, at my house. For me, for you, for Sam; everyone."

Naruto smiled. "Let's do it!"

"When will we go back?" Gaara asked flatly.

"Next Friday," I replied after a moment of thought. "The party will be held on Saturday. I'm sure my mom will say yes."

* * *

"Hey guys!" I greeted, putting my tray of popcorn chicken, green beans, and chocolate milk on the lunch table. "How 'bout that party?" It was Monday. I had already talked to my mom the past weekend, and she was thrilled that I was getting involved with friends again.

"Yeah, boy, _yeah_!" Nadia squealed.

I laughed. "Everyone at the table's invited!" I cried, spreading my arms wide. "There'll be singing, if Sarah's willing to bring her Wii game."

Sarah nodded, and Nadia made another, "Yeah!"

"And dancing," I added, trying to imply that there would be something for everyone. Apple, Nadia, and Alexis grinned. I didn't really know how to tempt Britt though, since… well, she didn't act hyper all the time, apparently. She was almost… slightly goth. "And _chocolate_." Sam's eyes widened, and Apple's smile seemed to get a little bit bigger. "And some friends I met while I was missing," I said, looking at Mackenzie. (She was the one who mentioned old friends before, after all.) I looked to Sarah. "And yes, Sarah, even beer. But it's _not _for you, so don't get any ideas." She laughed. "I'll be right back," I said, and headed to Agatha's lonely table.

"Agatha!" I grinned.

She looked up from her food. "Hm?"

"I'm having a party this Saturday. Do you want to come?"

"I don't know…."

"Almost everyone there knows about Naruto," I offered. She still seemed doubtful. "I… have two cats?" I didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing to her, but I wanted her to come. And yeah, I had two cats. One was a black tabby named Precious, the cautious, older cat of mine. The other, an orange tabby named Oliver, was basically a Tobi-cat. He was playful, sometimes annoying, and often got into trouble, but he had a "dark side." I used to say, "My cat is plotting my murder." He wasn't _actually _doing that, but he could be mean.

Back to the conversation. "I'm more of a dog person," she answered.

I racked my brain. "There'll be chocolate…."

She looked up, eyes bright. "I love chocolate," she smiled.

I grinned. "Then it's a go?" She nodded.

Later that day, as Ashlie and I walked from the school bus to my house, I found a letter in the mail for me. I read the return address; it was from Masashi Kishimoto. I rushed into my house, and did the chores I needed to do so that I could read his reply as soon as possible. Ashlie probably wondered what was so exciting about it, but I didn't care. She couldn't know anyway. The letter was, of course, in Japanese. Every once in a while, I'd have to look up a word. I wasn't a master at Japanese, after all.

He started off, after the greeting, by saying he had heard about me. He was surprised and glad that I had made it back, and that he himself still couldn't believe it was all true. He had once thought that the Naruto world was all in his head, as he had visited it while in a coma. Once he woke up, he was home, so he had assumed it was all a strange, coma-induced dream. So, he started writing about it.

Japan had made studies that showed there were multiple realities, different dimensions. The Naruto world was among them. Only then did Masashi know it was all real, especially when the company asked if they could film "his world." He actually _didn't _know he had enslaved those in the Naruto world, as he said he thought, when he saw the film, that he somehow had the ability to predict the future of the world. He thought that, since he wasn't perfect, things happened, and thus the filler arcs were made.

I wasn't so sure about that, however. The Naruto people had said they were enslaved, so _my _theory was that the filler arcs were simply things that couldn't go his way. He was right: he wasn't perfect. Nobody was. As for the Kawarigan, he said he had recently discovered that the Kawarigan, when activated, can create a portal between the two worlds. If only I had known that sooner, huh? After that, it just went on to repeat how glad he was Sam and I had made it back, and then there was his signature – in Japanese, of course.

I smiled. I not only had part of his story, I also had more ways to use Kawarigan, as well as an easier route to the Naruto world this Friday. Plus, I had his autograph. Nice. I grinned. I couldn't wait until Friday.

* * *

"I can't _wait_ until Friday!" I cried, stepping out of the car. I was sleeping over my dad's house tonight, Wednesday.

"Why?" he asked.

"Reasons beyond your concern," I said darkly, then laughed at his confused expression. I loved making people confused. "I'm having a party at Mom's on Saturday," I said eventually.

'Oh,' he mouthed, not said. Yes, I definitely could not wait until Friday.

* * *

I hope you people liked it! And, everyone, please pray for the people in Japan. That earthquake was bad, not to mention the tsunami and the radioactive problems. The Japanese need help, the least we can do is pray.

...And as for YOU, I hope you have a good day. May Bob the magical unicorn that's secretly a janitor not spread you across the hills as sauce. For he is one mean unicorn. :)


	8. Chapter 7

Ack! Sorry for not updating wednesday! The gosh-darned website would let me update! :c FORGIVE ME!

* * *

It was Friday. "You two stay here for now; I don't know how the portal works yet," I said. Gaara narrowed his eyes slightly. He wanted to make it back to his village. "I know how you feel," I said, "but I don't even know if you can make it through. It could be only for those of the Riaru clan. I don't know yet." He gave a small nod. I couldn't say he agreed, but he accepted he had to wait. Naruto just crossed his arms and frowned.

I focused, closing my eyes, trying my best to make a portal appear, and when I opened my eyes, I couldn't help but stare for a second. The portal, at first glance, was just white, but when you looked closer, you could find many colors swirling, some staying in the blank void, other swirls going slightly over the edge. It was… beautiful, you could say.

I quickly shook my head and gestured for Sam to go in first. She nodded, and headed in. My energy drained considerably, but I was excited. The fact that we were so close made my heart pound. Excitement gave me loads of energy. I'd make it. I followed her in.

I appeared by the ocean, in the Land of Waves. I breathed in the fresh, clean air, scented with rain. The sky was shining brightly, the storm was either coming, or had just passed. I looked to Sam, who was beside me. I concentrated, and opened another portal. We both rushed in at once.

Now we were on a rooftop in the Leaf village. The sky was gray, dark and gloomy. It was about to rain. We looked at our surroundings, taking it all in.

_We were back_.

Then we split up.

* * *

I went one way, Natalie went another. I began running around, looking for someone I needed to see. There weren't many people around, and I began to worry I wouldn't find anyone… until I saw Sasuke.

He continued to walk forward, looking at the ground, oblivious to my presence. "Sasuke!" I cried, and ran to hug him, spinning him around before he even knew what happened.

Sasuke had his eyes wide, as though he couldn't believe it was me. "You're… back," he said eventually.

I pulled back, gripping his shoulders, as my smile faded. He was wearing all black, I had just realized. "Is Itachi still…?"

"He's alive, but…."

"Good," I said firmly, and smiled. "I didn't know if you were going to a funeral or just being your normal, emo self."

* * *

I went in the opposite direction. There weren't many citizens on the street, so I walked around on the streets, trying to keep calm. I couldn't keep my excitement down, however, when I saw just the person I wanted to see. "Deidara!" I grinned, running for him.

His expression was at first surprised, then happy, then… then his fist went in my stomach. I coughed, taken off-guard, the breath knocked out of me, confusion swirling through my head. _Why'd he do that? _Right before I fell over, however, he pulled me into a warm, welcome hug. When I could breathe again, I hugged back, and we just stayed silent a few moments. It took me a second to realize his hair was up again, just long enough to put into a ponytail.

"You were gone for a year," he said. "A _whole year_. What happened, hm?" My eyes opened wide in surprise.

"A… year? It was a whole _year _here?"

He pulled away, looking at me in confusion. "Yeah."

I shook my head. "Long story. Let's get the group back together again first."

* * *

"This is the room."

I nodded. I remembered his room. Itachi's room. _See, Itachi? _I thought. _I kept my promise._

Sasuke opened the door. He was awake; I could tell. His eyes were wide open; glassy, but open, and his mouth kept moving, mumbling inaudible words. He was even sitting up, leaning against the headboard. "Itachi," I said, taking a step forward. "I'm back."

No response.

"I… I'm sorry I took so long."

Still no response.

I noticed that he was thinner… and even paler than before, if that were possible. There was an IV in his arm, which showed me he could no longer eat. "…Itachi?" I asked, taking another step forward.

"He's been unresponsive for a while now," Sasuke said. "At least he's awake… he was in a coma not long ago—"

A scene flashed before my eyes. Itachi was lying peacefully in bed, asleep – in a coma. Suddenly, though, his eyes flew open, and he sat upright very quickly, ripping the IV from his arm. "_They're coming; they're coming!_" he yelled, then fell backwards onto the pillow. "It's all misunderstood…. It's all misunderstood…."

Then I was back in reality; Sasuke was looking at the floor. "He's not doing very well, you can see…."

"How… how long has it been since we left?" I asked.

Sasuke hesitated, surprised I didn't know. "…A year." I stopped breathing for a second. A _year_? An entire _year_? "I guess I'll leave you for a second. …If you want, go ahead and try to get through to him. I just… don't want to watch." He went out the door, closing it behind him.

"I… I made it back," I said again, taking another step forward. "Even though… I took so long." He continued to mumble to himself, unresponsive. His eyes may have been open, but they might as well have been sockets, his gaze was so empty. I sat down on the bed. "I kept my promise," I whispered. "I came back for you."

He still did not respond, and it was beginning to get to me. My jaw began to ache from trying to keep the tears at bay. "Itachi, why aren't you answering me?" My eyes began to prickle. "Why can't you see me? Why can't you feel me? Why don't you _notice _me? I am here!" Tears began to form, despite my attempt at stopping them. "I'm here, Itachi! I'm here! I'm here. I'm here…." They began to stream down my cheeks. "I'm here…. I'm beside you…. I tried…. I… I'm sorry…." I couldn't help it. I began to sob. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry…," I repeated, as though saying the words would make everything better. I just sat there a minute, sobbing. I had tried so hard. I waited for some sort of sign, a way to make it back. I'd spend whole nights lying on the shore of Maxey Island, waiting; begging; hoping; praying.

"A dream."

I looked up to him, surprised. Did he just say something? "…Itachi?"

"It's a dream. It's all a dream."

"No, Itachi," I said softly. "I'm real. I came back for you."

He gave a soft, painful chuckle that his eyes did not follow. His eyes stayed wide, staring at nothing. "That's exactly what they all said. Then I woke up." He slowly shook his head. "I must be delusional, feeling you here. Hearing you. Only… I can't see you." He turned his head, looking in my direction, but seemingly looking right past me. "But you're just an illusion. You can't be real."

By then I had stopped sobbing. I leaned forward to hug him. I hugged him lightly, of course, so as not to hurt him. "I'm as real as it gets," I whispered.

"Pain," he said, "is the only real thing to me anymore. Yet through it all, I cling to one hope. And that's all I have. Hope."

"But now you have _me_. I came back. You waited for me… and now I'm back for you."

"Hope is the one thing I cling to," he continued, his head now turned forward, still looking at nothing. "That's the only reason I'm alive. Hope is what keeps me going; pain is what pulls me down. The question is, which is stronger? Hope or pain? Hope or pain? Hope… or pain…." His voice trailed off, and he went back to his incoherent mumbling.

I pulled away. "No! Snap out of it! I'm here! I'm here!" I broke down into sobs again. "I'm here!" I leaned in to embrace him once again, clenching my jaw to stop the sobbing. I bit my lip hard, restraining tears. "I'm with you now."

"Samantha…. Samantha…. Samantha…," he murmured.

"Yes," I whispered. "It's me."

"Someday…. Samantha…. They'll be back…." I bit my lip harder when I realized I was just catching snippets of his mumbling. "Hope…. Pain…. Someday…. Someday…."

"I don't know if you can hear me or not," I said softly, "but I want you to know… that I'm here for you. But…. Why don't you notice me? Why? I… I love you… Itachi…." Tears continued to stream down my cheeks, dripping down onto his shoulder. I doubted he cared, though. It was like he was oblivious to my very presence. "Please…." I clenched my fist.

"Sa…man…tha…."

It was just his mutterings, I knew.

"Samantha…. Samantha. _Samantha_. _Samantha!_" My breath caught in my throat.

That wasn't mumbling.

I pushed away. His eyes were wide – with surprise this time – and his gaze wasn't as empty as before. There was life in his eyes now. They were alive, even if they couldn't see. I gave him a huge smile through the tears. "Sorry for being over-emotional like that," I said. "Moments like this do that to me." A light smile went to his lips as well, and I bent in to hug him again. And this time, he'd know I was hugging him.

"Sam, Natalie is—" Sasuke, Natalie, and Deidara stopped short at the sight. I looked at them, expression glowing.

"Itachi's back."

* * *

Leaving Sam and Sasuke behind to be with Itachi, Deidara and I headed to the Hokage's office. Not only did I have to talk to the Hokage, but I was hoping Sakura was there. When we got there, the door was closed, and I could hear two voices on the other side. I knocked, and opened the door. Sakura and Lady Tsunade looked at me a moment, then Sakura rushed to hug me.

"Oh, Natalie, it's you! Where were you? You were away for so long!" I hugged back, and Tsunade stood.

"You're back," Tsunade said. I smiled, and nodded as Sakura released me. "Where is Naruto? Is he alright?" she asked.

I blinked. "He's back at my vacation home on Maxey Island, waiting for me to come back. He's fine, and so is Gaara. How are things going here?"

"Not so well," she answered, eyes slightly narrowed. "Our alliance with the Sand village is struggling now, and we can't tell what the Akatsuki is planning."

I nodded again. "Sam and I are sorry to have taken so long. It was all a misunderstanding."

"Explain," she replied, and sat down.

"Sam and I sent a message in a bottle, to make sure the portal hadn't collapsed. If it was answered, we'd know we could go back. However, only Gaara and Naruto knew of this, and we had no idea they had come to the real world with us." She gave a curt nod, eyes closed. "And may I ask you something, Lady Tsunade?"

"Go ahead."

I looked behind me. "Sakura; Deidara; can you wait outside?" They exchanged looks, then nodded, walking out the door. Sakura closed it behind her, and I turned back to Lady Tsunade. "Do I have permission to keep Naruto in the real world for one more day, or at least take him back tomorrow? I understand Gaara has to get to his village…."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she leaned forward, curling her fingers together. "Why?"

"I'm having a welcome back party tomorrow, and I'd like Naruto, along with Sakura, Deidara, Sasuke, and maybe even Itachi to come."

"Itachi isn't fit to do so, and besides, if that were so, Hidan would have to go along as well. I don't want him killing citizens."

"Lock him up," I said with a shrug.

"I'm afraid the prisons aren't as secure as we thought. Danzo has gone missing, along with every other prisoner held there."

I blinked in surprise. "Can't someone watch him? What about Yasuko? Is she free?"

Her expression grew slightly darker. "Yasuko is gone."

My heart skipped a beat. "What?"

She stood, and looked out the window that overlooked the Leaf. "She died. She was kidnapped, held captive by the Akatsuki, and escaped with fatal injuries."

There was a minute of silence. "…Oh…," was all I could say.

She turned back to me eventually, hands clasped behind her back. "Shizune is busy as well, and Deidara was the one who has been holding up the deal with Hidan in your absence."

For a second, I thought. "Hidan can come along, and I understand Itachi won't be able to come. However, I'd like to take Itachi to the real world eventually, to see if my world's hospitals can be of help to his condition."

She nodded; it was her turn to think. "…They can go."

"Can I take them now, and bring them back tomorrow?"

She pursed her lips. "Fine."

I grinned. The party was on.

* * *

"Wow…. This looks… different," Sakura said upon seeing the room.

"Sakura!" Naruto cried, hugging her. Sasuke came through next, and my energy dipped again. It took more energy for Naruto people than Riaru people…. He looked around, nothing more. After that came Deidara, who blinked repeatedly to get used to the 3-D surroundings. I leaned against the wall; taking deep breaths. Hidan tripped through, and I nearly collapsed. I sat down on the bed, so I couldn't fall.

"What the f**k?" he yelled. "She freakin' _pushed _me!" Sam came through, and I closed the portal. Sam grinned in triumph when she saw Hidan on the floor. "F**k you!"

"Ga… Gaara. You should probably go to your village." He nodded. I opened another portal… and blacked out.

The new portal immediately disappeared, and Natalie fell backwards onto the bed. "Natalie?" I asked, walking over to her. I shook her lightly, and, when she didn't respond, I scratched my head and said, "I guess when she said it took energy to do this, she wasn't kidding." I paused. "But now… how is Gaara supposed to get back?"

Sasuke looked at me. "How do you earn Kawarigan?" he asked.

"I don't know…. I think it's by risking your life for someone from the Naruto world."

"Well… you risked your life for me, didn't you? When you stopped Madara from killing me?"

I blinked in surprise when I realized he was right. "Let me try it…," I said, and concentrated. With great difficulty, I managed to open a portal. "Go in," I told Gaara. "I'll follow, to make sure you make it to your village."

He went in, and my energy dropped. I followed him in.

* * *

By the time I woke up, Sam was back, and Hidan was bored out of his mind. "Why the f**k am I here, anyway?" he asked. Actually, that's what I woke up to.

_Did I fall asleep?_ I wondered. _Why would I fall asleep?_ After that, I realized I was lying on the bed. All the way. Meaning, my legs weren't hanging off or anything. Then I felt the pressure on my legs, which brought back a somewhat bitter memory….

I bolted upright, yelling "_Tobi, get off!_" My face grew slightly warmer when I found I was talking to Sam and Deidara.

"_What, _hm?"

"Oh…. Oops." There was an awkward silence after that, and I remembered where I was and what had happened. I cleared my throat. "Right." I looked around. "…Where's Gaara?"

"I took him back," Sam said.

"How…?"

"I apparently have Kawarigan! How do ya like _them _apples?"

"Hm," I answered, deep in thought. So that sacrifice for Sasuke, right before we were taken home, had earned her Kawarigan, even if we couldn't see it. Amazing. "Anyway," I said, looking up, "back to business." Everyone looked to me. "You'll be staying in this world tonight, and coming to a… celebration afterwards. However, people will easily recognize you, so—"

"I'm not cutting my hair again," Deidara said flatly.

I smiled. "No, no. This time you can use a transformation jutsu, or even just change something small. For example, you, Deidara, would be able to pass by if you simply put your hair in a low ponytail. Naruto's fine, since his whiskers are gone, Sasuke…. Okay, I have no idea what to do with you. That hair is just not humanly possible in this world." He frowned. "However… I suppose you could use the transformation. Sakura, you'll have to use a Henge too, unless you want to dye your hair. And Hidan… just mess up your hair a little; don't keep it back like that. You know what? You use a transformation too. People will think you're old with that kind of hair."

"…S**t."

Everyone did as they were told (even Hidan); Sasuke's hair became… less duck-butt-like, but instead simply poofy, and Sakura's hair became a dirty blond. "Now for names…." It ended up with a name thing like this: Naruto was Nathan, Sasuke was Sammy (poor Sam), Deidara was Deivid (like David, but starting with 'Dei'), Hidan was Haden, and Sakura kept her name as Sakura. The whole thing was done in that room, so their brains would be at least slightly prepared for their surrounding when they went out. If Sam and I were dizzy….

We soon went back to my house, and prepared for the next day….

* * *

"So when's the f**king party gonna start?" Hidan asked.

"Soon," I answered.

That's when the first visitor knocked on the door. Sakura and Sasuke had already done transformation – Ashlie was still in my house, after all. In fact, it was right then she ran down the stairs. "The first person is here?" Oliver followed her down and rubbed against her leg. She smiled and pet him.

Sakura nodded. "I wonder who it is," Hidan said, beginning to walk toward the door.

Ashlie sighed. "Shut up, you bastard." He smirked as he walked away. You know, this was something I just didn't get. She never acted rude around me. Ever. She was always kind, but serious. Yet… with Hidan she was rude, and swore a lot. I'd have to ask her about that….

Oh right. The door. I ran ahead of Hidan, to reach the back door first. I opened the door to greet none other than Sarah. "Hi!' she said.

"Hi!" I answered.

"Hi!"

"Hi!"

"Hi!"

"Hi!"

"Shut the _f**k_ up!" Hidan said from behind.

Sarah stared at him a moment, squinting, and, after a second, shrugged. The strange thing was, Hidan stared back. And not in a glare, either. "Whatever. Who is this guy anyway?" she asked, walking in.

I elbowed Hidan in the chest, which snapped him out of it. "This is Haden, someone I met while I was missing." I grinned, restraining laughter. Sarah had no idea this was actually Hidan, the guy she'd been fangirling over for… what? Two years?

I led her to the living room. "Hey, he looks like Deidara!" she said, pointing to, well, Deidara.

His eyes narrowed. "Shut up, hm."

She laughed. "He sounds like him, too!"

I gave a weak laugh. "That's Deivid."

"Close enough!"

_Ding dong_. Someone was using the front door this time. It must have been one of my new friends, as everyone that came to my house knew to use the back door. "Coming!" I called. When I opened the door, Apple and Haruka were waiting. "Hi!" I greeted. There was a knock on the back door. "Oh, uh… come on in; I'll be back."

I raced to the back door to find Mackenzie, Alexis, and Nadia. _Ding dong._ "Holy chiz! Guys, can you invite people at the back door until everyone's here?" The three exchanged looks, and nodded. I ran to the front door again, finding Agatha on the other end. I tensed myself to run to the back door when I heard a knock – how were they all coming at the same time? – then remembered Alexis, Nadia, and Mackenzie were waiting there. "Agatha!" I smiled. She smiled back. "I'd like to introduce you to the people you haven't met yet."

I led her into the living room from the front hall (which wasn't even a hall). I found a Hidan laughing at a Sam, who had chocolate smudged over her face, licking her fingers. "Sam!" I said. "I told you not to eat the chocolate yet!"

"I couldn't help it!" she whined.

I shook my head. "Anyway, Agatha, this is Haden (Hidan)." From here on I'll put their real names in parentheses, in case you forget them; I know I nearly did a few times during this party…. Luckily it was for people like Deidara or Hidan, who had the same beginning to their names. "You know Sam. That's Deivid (Deidara), and there's Sakura and—"

"Sakura? Huh, a Japanese name. I like it."

Sakura smiled. "Nice to meet you…."

"Agatha," she smiled.

"And there's Sammy (Sasuke)," – Sam winced – "and you remember Sarah." Nadia, Alexis, Mackenzie, and Sierra walked in. Sierra ran up and hugged me. "And this is my niece, Sierra!" I laughed. I pointed to Apple. "And there's Apple and Haruka, and you know Mackenzie, Nadia, and Alexis. Oh, and there's Ashlie." Ashlie waved.

"Now what do you say we have some fun?" Alexis grinned.

I laughed. "It's a party, isn't it?"

"I'm here!" Brittany called, coming through the front door. "Let's get this party _started_!"

* * *

Sierra pointed to her white headband and grinned. "I'm wearing this to make a guy mad because called Suigetsu g_aaayyy_…!" She was pulled into the room behind her. I still don't know by who…. I was mostly hyper, and don't remember much about the party for that reason. Sam doesn't remember _anything_, having been chocolate drunk the whole time.

It was dark outside now, and Sam was running around saying, "Fire truck!" to anyone she saw. Nadia, Alexis, and Apple were having a dance-off in the living room, while Mackenzie and Sarah were trying to beat each other in Mario Cart upstairs (Sarah was winning). Agatha and Haruka, I believe, were watching them, waiting for a turn (which, by the way, never came). Brittany was amusing herself by watching whatever Sam was doing, laughing at everything. Every once in a while, Sam would go grab another marshmallow to put under the chocolate fountain. And, every so often, I'd hear Sam giggling insanely.

Naruto, Sasuke, Deidara, and Sakura were having the time of their lives simply discovering the wonders this world had. Even Hidan couldn't help but be interested. I found Sierra bouncing around often, talking to everyone, trying to meet fellow Naruto-addicts. "_Pizza!_" I yelled. I opened the pizza box, then ran to the back to get out the pop. The party was finished off by the viewing of a funny movie – Spaceballs was what was voted upon. I'd say it was a success.

Before I knew it, everyone but Sam, Ashlie, and our Naruto friends were gone. Poor Sam was passed out on the floor – I'd bet you she'd have a chocolate hangover the next day. I wasn't going to be the one to wake her up, so I sighed, knowing I'd have to carry her to bed. I went up the first step, and fell backwards onto my back. _"_Yee_owch_!" I yelped, then whimpered, "Ow, my spine." I was extremely tired from being hyper earlier; if I didn't get to bed soon, I'd be Sleep Drunk. (Yeah, we have a lot of different "states of mind.") "Can somebody _help_?" I asked those who were still awake – Ashlie wasn't among them, only the Naruto people, excluding Sakura who was asleep on the couch.

I couldn't get up. Not only was I really tired, but I had a Sam on top of me. "Tch, _I'm _not carrying her," Hidan said, and went to the other side of the living room to go to sleep in his sleeping bag.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Deidara exchanged glances. "…I can," Sasuke said, and stepped forward. I restrained a snicker, and a smart remark. I hadn't forgotten that he liked Sam. I felt the weight of a second body lift, and I took a deep breath. Sam shifted, snuggling into his chest. I couldn't help but chuckle at that one. Then she murmured something about weasels, and Sasuke sighed, beginning to walk up the stairs.

After he made the turn, I heard "_What the hell?_" along with a thump, followed by the sight of Sasuke falling down the stairs. Sasuke looked up, slightly dazed. I burst into laughter. Sam came down, my pillow in hand, and began hitting him with it. "_What was __that__?_" she yelled, still whipping him.

"Don't break my pillow," I giggled. Sasuke glared at me.


	9. Chapter 8

Well, think of it this way: at least, because of the delay, you get a double update! That's good, right? Enjoy! :D

* * *

"Kabuto will bite your toe."

"Oh, really?" I asked. "_That's _great." We both laughed. Sam and I had to go through all of Sam's things, clean up her room. Once that was accomplished, we could go to the island, and that meant going to the Naruto world.

"Again," Sam said, and held out the paper fortune teller we had found.

"Green. …Nineteen. …One hundred ninety or something."

"Madara will kill you."

"Gee, this paper fortune teller sure is positive."

"Fine, do me." I held it out. "Red. …Sixteen. …Twenty-one." I scowled when I flipped up the paper flap. "What does it say?"

"A miracle will happen."

She laughed. "I think I have better luck than you!"

"…Meh," I answered.

She put that away, and began going through another box; I continued looking through mine. "Hey…," Sam began after a few minutes. "Do you think we could show Sarah the Naruto world?"

I stopped rummaging and looked up. "Why not?" I smiled.

* * *

The three of us stood on the shore of Maxey Island, splashing water at one another and enjoying the sunset. It was a surprisingly warm day for the middle of autumn. "Sarah, can I ask you something?" I asked.

She stopped splashing Sam. "Yeah?"

I smiled. "Would you want to go to the Naruto world, if it were possible?"

"Hell yeah!" she answered.

My smile widened. "What would you say if we knew a way to get there?"

She laughed. "I wouldn't believe you, probably!"

My smile became a grin. "Well…."

"Where do you think we've been the past two years?" Sam came in.

Sarah shrugged. "I don't know; Africa?"

I chuckled. "Close your eyes," I said.

"Why?"

"Just close your eyes!" Sam said.

"And don't peek," I added.

"Fine," she said, and closed them.

I focused, and opened the portal. "Hold on tight," I said, and held tight to her hand. Sam held on to her other hand. Then, we stepped inside.

It's strange to go through that portal, a sensation I'll do my best to describe, though you must experience it to understand it. It's like there's a pressure on your chest; it's hard to breathe; it's like your moving through water. It's almost as though you're disembodied, it seems as though you're not physically there. You can't feel a thing besides the pressure on your chest, and the feeling of not being solid yourself. It's like your one with the liquid. That was how the beasts molded with us the first time we went through, I guess. We mixed, molded together like water and oil; one was the conscious mind, but one could overtake the other sometimes. Not the best feeling, but… interesting.

We appeared in the clearing, just where I wanted us to be. It was the same clearing we first woke up to, and the clearing where we had, coincidentally, come across the Snake Squad. "Open your eyes," I whispered, a grin plastered on mine and Sam's face.

She opened them, and her eyes proceeded to widen until it was impossible to widen them any more. She spun in a circle, making sure she wasn't staring at a screen, then looked up. Then, she screamed. I covered my ears. Ow. Sam winced. Then Sarah grinned, and began jumping up and down. "_YAY!_" she squealed. "_THIS IS COOL!_" I looked her over, as now she didn't look the same. She wore a light green T-shirt, with a light blue skirt, and had an orange star on her left shoulder. Her headband was around her neck.

"This, Sarah, is where we've been for the past two years; _three_ years here," I told her when I was sure she was done.

She stared at me for a second. Then Sam asked, "Are you ready to meet-?"

"_Yes!_"

So, we began our fifteen minute trek to the Leaf village. "So… does this mean _you're _Natari and Samansa?" We nodded. "Oh my God, that's _awesome_!"

"And by the way," I added, "some of the people at the party were from this world. And… Haden was Hidan, too."

She stared at me. "You're kidding."

I smiled. "Nope!"

"You…. He was…. Oh, _come on_!" she cried. Sam and I laughed.

We soon made it to the Leaf village gates. "Don't worry, she's a friend," I said to Izumo and Kotetsu as we passed. Sarah waved.

"Can we visit Itachi?" Sam asked. "He's…."

"Of course," I answered.

We went that way, Sarah greeting random people as she went. "Hi random person!" "Hi!" "Wazzup person-I-don't-know-the-name-of?" "Hey, lady-person!"

When we got to Itachi's door, Sam gave Sarah warning, "Please be quiet; he's not doing very well."

She nodded vigorously.

Sam opened the door. "How are you?" Sam whispered. Sarah and I still couldn't see him, as she stood in front of the door. There was no answer. "Bad question, huh?" Silence. "Natalie and a friend of mind want to see you, is that alright?" I came to guessing he was just giving small gestures, unable to speak.

Sam waved us in. When Sarah saw him, her immediate response was, "Oh, _hi_ Itachi!" which was answered with a glare from Sam. "Oh, right," she whispered. "Hi, Itachi!" she greeted in a lower voice. He gave a small nod in acknowledgement. "Can't speak?" she asked. He nodded. "Why?"

"Hurts," he rasped.

"It hurts? Are you sick?"

"He's in the hospital, what do _you _think?" Sam snapped.

"Well _sorry_. I was too busy meeting new people to notice that." Sam rolled her eyes. "Nice to meet you," she added, directing it to Itachi. She looked him over. "You should come to the real world sometime," she suggested.

He gave a slow, sad shake of his head. "He can't; he's not well enough," I said.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, walking over to the right of Itachi's bed. "You're not so bad," she told Itachi. He looked at her with a hollow, empty gaze. Her smile faded when she saw how unhealthy he looked, how different, how unhappy, how tired, how… sick. "…Oh…."

"You two go on ahead," Sam said. "I'll be waiting here; you understand."

I nodded, and led Sarah out of the room. She was shaken, I could tell. She was nearly always cheerful, but that… that was just a little _too _much. Sure, you could see it on TV, but you weren't really there. Eventually, though, she composed herself, and said, "So… that Deivid guy was really Deidara?"

I nodded. "Yep."

"And Sammy was…?"

"Sasuke. Sakura was, of course, Sakura. Nathan was Naruto."

"Wow. Who would've thought…?"

She stopped short when she saw Hidan in the street. She didn't say a thing, just ran up and glomped him. "_What the f**k?_"

"Hidan," I said, walking up to them, "this is Sarah. I believe you've met her once before?"

"Yeah," he said, trying to push her off, "I remember." However, Sarah held on like a leech.

After convincing her to let go, I introduced her to some of the other people, including Deidara, Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto. And by the way, you'd think that each week in our world was a month in theirs, but it had changed. I only noticed this when we were with Sakura, who simply shrugged and said, "Your people control our time."

We soon went back home, though Sarah was reluctant to do so.

The days went quickly after that. They didn't blend together; there seemed to be a sense of order to it all. Even the school days went fast; there was always something to do, somewhere to go, someone to talk to. The next weekend, Sierra would be shown the Naruto world. "You mean… you can take me there?" she asked, wide-eyed.

I smiled, and Sam, behind me, said nothing. "Yes," I answered. "Are you ready?" She nodded, and we went through the same portal, on the same island, on the same shore, which lead to the same clearing, in the same woods. Her response was slightly different than Sarah's, however.

"_Oh my God!_" she squealed, then spazzed until she could control her energy. Her hair was now straight and black, her eyes light blue. She wore a white, strapped shirt – a pink star – with white pants, white flip-flops, and pink nail polish. Sam went back to Itachi, even though he was sleeping, and I began leading my niece to team Hebi, as she requested.

"_Taka_!" she squeaked in delight. The four gave her a slightly confused look. "I mean… _Hebi_!" she corrected herself. She ran forward to hug Suigetsu, then Sasuke, then Juugo, and after that began heading towards Karin. Having gotten over their confusion, they understood she was just hugging them in greeting. Karin smiled, ready for the hug, when Sierra's fist flung out and punched her in the nose.

Karin stumbled backwards, her hand flying to her now bloody nose. "_What the hell was __that__ for_?" she shrieked as Sierra giggled innocently.

Suigetsu laughed. "Nice!"

Him and Sierra high-fived, and, a moment later, Sierra said, "Later!" and ran off. I knew why, too. She always did that when she was about to go hyper.

…Another weekend, another visitor.

"…Wicked!" Mackenzie said, then spazzed as Sierra had. Mackenzie's white village headband was in her hair like Sakura's, and her hair had become chest-length, her eyes blue. She wore a yellow, short-sleeved shirt – a white star – and white capris that had yellow stripes, like a tiger, almost. Her flip-flops were yellow, with a white star on them, and on her hands were fingerless gloves that didn't go over the knuckles.

Mackenzie's meeting list was slightly longer, wanting to meet everyone in the village. She met Neji, Tenten, Lee, Guy, Kurenai, Hinata, Kiba, Akamaru, Shino, Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Deidara, Itachi, Miki, Lady Tsunade, Shizune, even Tonton.

Team 7, however, seemed to be her greatest interest. The group was together when she met them, and she greeted each of them in turn. "You're pretty!" she said to Sakura, who smiled. "Cool whiskers," she complimented Naruto, who grinned. She cocked her head to the side when she greeted Sasuke, not knowing at first what to say. "Hi," she said eventually. "I like your pants." He gave her a quizzical look.

Then she looked at Kakashi and grinned. "Hi hottie," she said, then pounced, glomping him. Kakashi's one visible eye was opened slightly wider than its usual tired-looking way, especially when she began trying to take off his mask. "What are you hiding…?" she muttered. Everyone else, including Sam and I, stared.

Only after that encounter did things slow down slightly. The general excitement of it all faded just enough that I'd no longer constantly have excess energy. The school days seemed to drag on a little longer, and every so often I'd find I'd have nothing to do. The exciting whirlpool had passed, and now we were floating on gentle water. Little did I know that the whirlpool was a beginning to an oncoming storm….

* * *

I heard soft, sneaky footsteps creeping up behind me. "Hey Nadia," I said, not turning around from the view of my backyard. A breeze ruffled my hair.

She sighed. "Darn. I just can't scare you anymore, can I?"

"You know I didn't like it, anyway."

She gave a small laugh. "Yeah…." A pause. "You've changed."

I looked down, slightly nostalgic. There had been days when my greatest worry was just whether or not I'd be able to see a friend. Now, I began worrying when my enemies would make their next move, worrying for my friends. That was my one hesitation in involving them in all of this, that I might be putting them in danger. But… maybe it would be better for them to know.

I looked to her. "I want to show you something," I said, and grabbed her arm. Soon I was pulling her over the bridge to Maxey Island, and, before I knew it, I was pushing her into the portal, me following behind.

The reaction was slightly different, however. Instead of finding myself in the clearing a second later, I found myself waking up there, with a horrible headache. "What…? Why did…? Did I do something wrong? Is that why we were knocked out?" I asked myself. I looked at Nadia, who was just waking up. Her blond hair was now slightly curly and waist-length, with a piece hanging over her right eye, somewhat like Ino.

On her feet were black, toeless boots; she wore tight black pants, and a light purple shirt, which was covered with an opened black jacket – purple star – that went all the way down to her knees. On her right hand was a black fingerless glove with a pink crescent moon on it. Her nails were pink. She slowly sat up, and I found she had a purple crescent moon on the back of her jacket, as well. For some reason, her eyes were pale. "Who turned off the lights?" she asked, rubbing her head. "Is it nighttime?"

I gave her a curious look. "Can't you see?" I asked, waving my hand in front of her face.

"What do _you _think, Einstein? I can't see a thing! Can't you?"

"Actually… yeah. I _can_ see."

Her eyes widened. "_Holy s**t I'm __blind_!" she cried. "You made me freakin' _blind_! I don't even know where we _are_! Where _are _we, anyway?"

"We… we are in the Naruto world."

She stopped ranting. "Okay, I know you like Naruto and all, but now I think you're getting a little _too _obsessed. It was funny when you were obsessed with Ed Edd 'n Eddy, but being obsessed with Naruto is just weird."

I shook my head. "How do you explain the portal you saw? And going blind? You remember the portal, right?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped. It all came together. "Oh, crap," she said. "I peed myself."

"…Really?"

"Yes, really, you douche!" she snapped. There was an awkward silence, and she laughed. "_No_, smart one!" She began taking her boots off.

"…What are you doing?" I asked.

"Well," she said, "if I can't see, maybe I can make like Toph from Avatar: The Last Airbender and feel my way with my feet." After her shoes were taken off, she stood. "…Cool."

"What?"

"I can see! It's awesome!" she cried in delight. "I can feel the squirrel over there, running up the tree, I can feel you, your position, it's… _awesome_!"

I showed her around the village a little, but she didn't really say much. "He looks so _animated_!" she said about the first person she met, which seemed funny since, well, she couldn't see. I wondered why that was….

* * *

"Oh… my… God…. I _hate _Christmas music," Sam complained, covering her ears.

I shrugged. "I think it's okay, but after a while it gets really annoying."

"To me it's always annoying." We were in Sam's mom's car, driving back to my house. We were going to have a little sleepover, nothing big. I guess the whole point of putting what happened on that car ride was to say it was almost Christmas. In fact, the next day would be my birthday. That was one of the reasons Sam was sleeping over. Luckily, Christmas vacation had already begun.

Next week I would be having two Christmas/birthday parties. One was at my mom's house, with Alexis, Sam, Nadia, Sierra, Sarah, and Mackenzie. The other was on Maxey Island, with all my new friends – Brittany, Apple, Agatha, Haruka, and Ashlie. Technically, you'd think Ashlie would be at the other party, since she temporarily lived with me, but she had something to do.

Nothing really interesting happened until then… except for Christmas, of course. And the fact that Sam and I had agreed not to bring any more people to the Naruto world, for fear they'd lose something too. Fortunately, Nadia's sight came back once she returned to the real world.

Anyway, I'll skip forward to the night of the Maxey Island party. All of us were tired (that's a surprise), so we were on our way to going to sleep. Good night….

* * *

I woke the next morning with sun on my face. So, I rolled over and covered my eyes with my arm. I began dozing off again, until….

"…Did I fall asleep in math again?" A pause. "Oh yeah… the party…. Then this is one realistic dream." Another pause. "…Be quiet, Muse."

Curious, I groaned and sat up. "Oh… crap." We happened to be in the clearing of the Naruto world. So much for Sam and my plan to not bring anyone else here, huh? As I looked around, I realized all five of my new friends were here. Agatha was sitting up, looking around. _So she's the one who was speaking…. Who's Muse?_

Haruka woke up next, who simply widened her eyes and sat there, speechless. Brittany came after. "_Where the frick am I?" _she yelled. She stood and whirled around.

"…The… Naruto world…," I answered hesitantly.

She stared at me a moment… until it hit her. "_Sweet!_" She cleared her throat. "Okay, okay, cool, but, uh, where's Oreos?"

"Oreos? Agatha asked.

"Oh, sorry. Orochi."

"_Orochimaru is a pedophile!_" Agatha responded. "Heck, I call him _Pedochimaru_!"

"He is _not_!"

This awoke Apple and Ashlie, who both stared a moment. "This is a dream…. It must be a dream…," Apple whispered, while Ashlie freaked out.

"Oh my god where are we? Are we in the Naruto world? Holy crap we're in the Naruto world!" Then she calmed down and grinned. "…I wonder what havoc I can wreak here…." She gave a small evil chuckle. "What fun we'll have…."

I looked at each of them in turn. Agatha wore a black tank top with a red jacket. There was a black star on her shoulder, and another on her back. Her Leaf headband was tied around her arm, and she wore dark brown pants, along with black sandals. Her blond Tsunade-length hair was golden in the sunlight… and on her side I noticed a sheathed sword.

Ashlie was wearing a long-sleeved blue shirt that hugged her body, and loose black shorts. Not too loose, I mean. They fit her, but… yeah. You get it.

Haruka wore a navy tank kimono top that had a black star on her shoulder. Her Leaf headband was around her waist, and she had black fingerless gloves on her hands. She had black shorts and knee-high kunoichi boots.

Brittany's hair was now in two high ponytails, with red highlights. She wore a black tank top the read "Nya Bitches" and fishnet fingerless gloves, along with a pleated plaid skirt, black thigh-high socks, and combat boots. I also noticed a katana attached to her waist.

Apple now had black hair and brown eyes, and wore a black and green wrap-around shirt that criss-crossed around her stomach – a white star – and a scythe was strapped to her back. On her hands were red and black fingerless gloves, and on her feet were dark brown boots. She also had on a long, green, flowing skirt.

"It's _real, _it's _real_!" Brittany insisted, dancing around the clearing.

"Um…," I began. "…Merry Christmas?"

* * *

I introduced everyone to everyone I knew in the Leaf village. Haruka pounced on whoever she met that she obsessed over, bringing them into a big hug. That meant she glomped Sasuke, Naruto, Kiba, Neji, and Sai. She almost hugged Itachi, but I, fortunately, was able to hold her back. He was sleeping, too, and I didn't want him to wake up to excruciating pain. Trust me, I knew. When I was still recovering with Mamoru, I woke up when a raccoon jumped on my chest. I hurt like hell, since I was still healing. It was hard to imagine a full body jumping on me then… and Itachi was much worse off than I was. Agatha, of course, was happy to meet both Kiba and Shikamaru.

Eventually, however, we had to go back. Trust me; I had some trouble getting some of them to go back. A few of them I had to _push _into the portal. Well, by then end, I have to admit I was glad it was over. I wasn't too sure Apple was a believer yet, though…. I warned all of them that they might not go back for a while, as Sam and I had to figure out what had gone wrong when I had taken Nadia there.

I must say that that was surely an unexpected experience. No other incidents happened with the portal, so Sam and I assumed it was just a small glitch. Or maybe Nadia was just meant to be blind in the Naruto world; who knows? It was weird, though… the more often I took someone there, each time they'd look more like the person they hung around most. Nadia began looking and acting like Sasuke when she went, Sierra Suigetsu, Haruka Neji, Mackenzie Naruto, Brittany Sasuke as well, Apple Sakura, Ashlie Kiba (she just _loved_ Akamaru), Agatha Shikamaru (though she acted a bit like him already), and Sarah, of course, was Hidan. And every time they went, the change would be slightly more pronounced. We, however, paid no mind to it, as they'd always change back when we went back to the real world.

One day, however, there was a day that Itachi was feeling especially well (compared to how he usually felt, anyway). This was the day we decided upon taking Itachi to the real world, to see if our hospitals could be of any help. "Let me just heal you one more time before you go," Sakura said, already putting her hands to his chest. The light green glow emanated where she held her hands, and Itachi grimaced in pain. Healing must have been painful. Sam winced, no surprise. Me, Sam, and Sasuke could only watch as Sakura healed him. Sasuke would be coming along.

Once Sakura was done, she bid us good luck and we were on our way.

* * *

Well... hope you liked it! At least now the Naruto people and the real people are actually together. It took a bit, didn't it? So... uh... Review!


	10. Chapter 9

"His name is Isaac," Natalie said. She had decided the name earlier.

"And how old is he?" the lady asked, looking him up and down.

"21," I said.

"Do you know what's wrong with him?"

I didn't really like this lady. "No, we don't," Natalie explained. "It's most like Tuberculosis,I think, but there's no way to tell. It seems to be originating from his eyes. It's an emergency, too. From where he comes from, nobody can find out what's wrong with him. His heart has stopped once already, and he can't eat anymore. He ends up throwing it back up, along with blood. Also—"

"Save your breath. This is to tell the doctor." Natalie let out the breath she was holding. "Any family?"

We all winced. "Uh, a younger brother," Sasuke came in.

"Name?"

"Sammy." I winced. Why did Natalie have to pick that name? At least it wasn't Sam. Why is it that any Sam I ever hear of is a guy? I hate it!

She looked to her clipboard. "You say it's an emergency?" she asked, scanning it.

"Yes," I replied.

Her eyes stopped moving back and forth. "Follow me," she said. As we walked down the hall – we couldn't go fast because of Itachi, who had to lean on me – some doctors rushed passed in a hurry with a guy on a stretcher. He seemed older – his black hair was beginning to gray – but they rushed passed too quickly for me to tell much else.

The lady soon turned into a smaller, but still large room; the hospital room. She laid Itachi down immediately, then turned to us and said, "The doctor will be here as soon as possible." Then she walked out of the room.

* * *

Sam was frustrated when the doctor said they'd have to run a few tests to see if they could help, which would take a few days. There was only three days left of Christmas vacation…. I was still looking forward to the next day, however, for tomorrow was New Year's Eve. I was, of course, going to see the fireworks. The fireworks were an attraction that I wanted to show Deidara. Obviously.

And, the next morning, I woke up to my mom shaking her head in front of the TV. "This is horrible…. As my sister says, 'I don't watch the news; the stories are all the same, just with different names.'"

I glanced at the television. "_All residents of Chestnut Street were found dead. We still don't know the murderer—_" Mom changed the channel, which showed another news channel, which showed the carnage on Chestnut Street.

"God, it's all over the news," my mom muttered, then changed it again.

"_In other news, an anime voice actor has lost his voice—"_ Mom turned the TV off, muttering to herself. I shrugged, and went to get breakfast. (_CoughItWasCrispinFreemanCough_.)

Later on, I went to Maxey Island so I could create the portal to go to the Naruto world. Making the portal only seemed to work there, as it was somehow connected. Everywhere else, chakra simply didn't work. Deidara, of course, immediately agreed to come to see the fireworks. When I took him to my world, I asked both Sam and Sasuke if they wanted to come.

"I…," Sam began, looking over to the unconscious Itachi, who had various wires attached to him. Poor guy.

I nodded. "You don't have to go. Sasuke?"

"I'll stay here."

I squinted at him, a random thought popping into my head. "You know what would be an ironic way for you to die?" I asked.

He blinked. "…If I died trying to protect my brother?" he guessed.

I blinked a few times. "Well, yeah… but not what I was thinking."

Deidara rose an eyebrow, which kind of failed because his bangs were covering one of his eyebrows anyway. "Then _what_, hm?"

I gazed toward the wall, zoning out. "If he drowned in sauce," I said slowly.

Sam rolled her eyes and laughed a little. "Wow, Natalie."

I grinned. "It was a random thought; don't criticize me!"

* * *

"Shiz," I said.

"What, hm?" Deidara asked. We were at my house, about to go to the fireworks; it was late afternoon.

"…I can't drive. I only just turned 15. I have to be 16 to actually even learn to drive."

He sighed. "Nice."

"And you obviously can't drive, and we can't use chakra to go faster, and my mom is out with her boyfriend, and…," I murmured, trying to figure something out. Deidara just crossed his arms and waited. "Scotty!" I cried in delight. He gave me a questioning look. "My cousin. He's going to the fireworks too! And, for that reason, he can come and pick us up to go there!"

I ran back inside my house, and called him. He agreed, although he'd have friends following behind him in another car. Then I realized something after I hung up. "Holy crap, Scotty's 17 now! And he can drive!"

* * *

"So who's this?" Scotty asked, jerking his thumb toward Deidara, who now had a low ponytail again.

"His name's Deivid," I answered brightly.

"Well, Deivid can sit in the front," he decided, and got in the front seat. I huffed, and Scotty laughed. "You're still a small fry, Natalie."

"Yeah, yeah," I said, getting in the back. Deidara got in the front, obviously, and we were on our way.

"Hey, don't worry. I like you like that," Scotty said. He glanced at "Deivid." "A friend of yours?"

I nodded. "Yep."

"Where'd you meet him?"

"While I was… gone."

"…How old are you?" Scotty asked, squinting, directing the question to Deidara.

Deidara opened his mouth to speak, but I spoke before him. "He's 17." Scotty nodded. "So… you can drive now?"

He smiled. "Yeah, and I'm liking this car, too."

"I wonder…."

"What?"

"I wonder if I can beat you in a wrestling match," I said with a slight smirk.

"I don't know about that," Scotty laughed.

I smiled. "Being missing for two years makes one stronger."

"Yeah…." Our conversation died, going into silence.

I giggled, though, breaking the silence, when I saw a sign that said, "Banana Boat." "Hehe… banana."

Scotty grinned. "Does Nananie still like her nananas? Nananas. _Nananas. _NANANAS. Naanaanaaas." I burst into laughter, while Deidara just looked confused.

"The penny voice!" I cried. "I haven't heard the penny voice in so long!"

"The one from Grandma's?" I nodded, still laughing. "I got a _penneh_!" he cried in a voice that sounded like an old woman. "Oh, remember Natalie? I got a _babeh _stuck in my _penneehhh!_" We both laughed on that one.

Before we knew it, it was getting dark, and we weren't there yet. "Chiz," I muttered.

I heard what sounded like a muffled explosion, followed by a crackle, and looked out the window, where I found the remains of a firework. "What was _that_?" Deidara asked.

"Fireworks," I grinned. "Scotty, can we stop here? You can go ahead with your friends if you want. It's just that right here is the perfect place to watch."

"…Sure, but don't drive off," he laughed. The reason I thought it was such a perfect place was because in front of us was a field where the fireworks were in perfect view in the night sky. It was a wonder how no one else was there to watch.

Soon I was watching him and his friends drive off into the night. "Well," I said, "_these _are fireworks." I leaned forward onto the hood of the car, and watched each firework go off. I had always loved fireworks.

"See, hm?" he pointed out, leaning forward as well. "People here _do _appreciate my art, you liar." I knew he was joking around, so I didn't defend myself. Naturally, his hand went over mine, and at first I didn't even notice. I doubt he ever noticed, either. We just sorta enjoyed watching the fireworks. "How do they make it all different colors, hm?"

"Some chemicals, I think; I don't really know." He nodded. "Oh, the finale!" I grinned. I looked to him. "This is my favorite part." I admit, it was probably stupid to say that, considering it was the best part, and he probably just wanted to watch.

Surprisingly, though, he turned to me. I didn't see what was coming. He pressed his lips onto mine, much different than the first time. Before, it was more gentle. Okay, I admit it, it scared me half to death because I wasn't expecting it. After my mind processed exactly what was happening, I was able to close my eyes and kiss back.

We pulled apart, the finale was still going in the background. "Don't leave me for that long again, got it?" he asked.

I smiled. "Yes, sir."

* * *

"Sam! Are the results in for Isaac?" I asked, walking happily in to the hospital room. I found Itachi still in bed, unconscious, and Sam in a chair, head down, on a small desk.

Her answer was muffled. "They don't know how to treat him."

"What?"

She lifted her head, showing her eyes were red (not like Sharingan or anything, but you know what I mean). "He needs another Uchiha's eyes. If he doesn't get them, he won't live." She turned to the wall. "But the only Uchihas left are Sasuke and Madara. Sasuke's eyes Itachi would never take." She sniffed. "And I have no clue how we could ever get Madara's eyes in the first place…." She put her head in her hands.

I walked over and put my hand on her shoulder. "Maybe it would be better if he were gone," I said. "He wouldn't be in any more pain…."

She gave me an angry look. "Itachi should _live_! Sure, he's made mistakes, but he's only just learned to forgive himself! It would be too untimely a death for him to go _now_!" Her head went back into her hands, and she began to cry.

I gave a sad smile. "I tried to tell you… be prepared for the consequences of saving Itachi." Her sobs stopped short. I shook my head. "You've gotta start listening to me."

* * *

I eventually stopped the waterworks, and Natalie stayed by me the whole time. I just sorta stared at Itachi for awhile. It sure would be awkward if he woke up. Imagine, waking up to find someone staring at you. Wouldn't that be weird? And kinda creepy and disturbing?

A nurse soon came in with a man on a rolley bed, who looked slightly familiar. "This is Hi," the nurse said. (Hi was pronounced "hee.") "He doesn't have much money, so he will be staying in the same room. I understand you don't have much either?" Natalie nodded. "Then he will share a room with Isaac." She put the rolley bed on the other side of the room, then left.

I noticed Hi was also attached to an IV, and an EKG (that's what the heart monitors were called, I learned). He also had those mini oxygen tubes in his nose. His head turned to me, seemingly looking in our direction.

"…Are you awake?" I asked.

"Yeah," he rasped. Then I remembered where I saw him before; he was the guy that was on the stretcher the day we came to the hospital.

I smiled and stood. "Hi," I greeted. "Your name is Hi?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"I'm Samantha, and this is Natalie." Natalie nodded in greeting.

He reached his hand out and pointed to Itachi. "Who…?" I got the feeling he couldn't say much.

"That's Ita—" I cleared my throat and corrected myself, "Isaac."

"And… what's… his… problem?"

I looked down. "He has an… unknown condition."

Hi gave a dry chuckle. "Same… here…."

I looked closer at his features. His black hair was long, but gray at the top, as he was aging. His face showed a few signs of age; his eyes were gray. "I have to go," Natalie said, and began walking away. "Bye Sam; Hi. It was nice meeting you."

He smiled in acknowledgement, and she left. His eyes travelled to me again. "How… old?"

"Isaac?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"…21."

He smiled sadly. "Too… young…."

"…To die?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, well… they can't find the cure. So…." I closed my eyes, pushing back the tears again.

"Cause?"

"Uh… they know it originates in the eyes…." He said something under his breath, but I didn't hear it. I didn't get the chance to ask, either, because Hi fell asleep.

* * *

"Kakashi…." I looked up. Huh? "Dominic…." I blinked. "Fugaku…." What the hell? "Suzy…."

I looked around the dim-lit hospital room. I had stayed here, not telling my parents, not caring tomorrow was a school day. I wanted every moment I could get with Itachi, while it lasted. Hi was the source of the murmuring. His eyes were squeezed shut, until of course they shot open. His heart rate began to slow, as he realized it had been a dream. "Wh-whose names did you say?" I whispered.

"I… was… asleep."

"I'm sorry," I said, shaking my head. "I thought I heard you say Kakashi, and Fugaku."

His eyes widened slightly. "Oh… them…."

"Them? They're people?"

"Old… friends."

"Hi… is that a Japanese name?"

"…Yeah."

"This may sound like a wacked out question… but… are you from this world?" What? I was suspicious, and there was no harm in asking, right? Unless he thought it was rude….

"…No."

My eyes grew wide. "Woah, woah, woah. You _aren't _from this world?"

"No."

My mind began racing. "Is… is your home the Naruto world?"

"…Yeah."

_How is this possible?_ I wondered. "What village are you from?"

"Leaf."

I stood up from my chair. "_What is your last name?_"

"…Uchiha."

* * *

"_Natalie! Natalie!_" Sam yelled, running toward me. She stopped in front of me, nearly falling over, panting hard. "Hi… Hi is…."

"Who is? Who is, Sam?"

"Hi! The guy from the hospital! He's… he's an Uchiha! From the Naruto world!"

My eyes were wide. "He is?"

"Yes!"

"Can I see him?" I asked.

"C'mon!" she grabbed my arm and almost dragged me to the hospital.

* * *

"You're an Uchiha?" I asked. Sam had to rest – I forced her to – so it was just me, him, and a sleeping Itachi.

"Yeah," Hi answered.

"Would… would you mind… telling me your story?"

Hi raised an eyebrow. "Can't… speak… well."

I blinked. "Oh… right. I'm sorry."

He took a deep breath regardless, and tried with all his might. Nice guy. "Went on mission… Land of Waves. Storm. Lightning. Confusion. End up in… this world." I nodded, suddenly remembering Kakashi's brief story of a friend – an Uchiha – who had went on a mission in the Land of Waves and disappeared. "Nowhere… to go. I knew no one. Joined gang. Felt belonging. Met girl…." He stopped a moment, biting his lip. "Suzy…. Gang… fight…. I left… her… for dead." I could tell the memory was painful. "Only friend Dominic. He was nice. But gang life hard…. We fight. I… I killed Dominic." The EKG began beeping faster for a second, and it looked as though he were holding back tears.

"I… earned Mangekyo… I think," he continued. "I grew sick. Unknown illness. That's why… I think I earned it…. Soon retired from gang. I… found life was… empty with no friends. No love. Got apartment. Had heart attack. Ended up here." I didn't even care that most his story wasn't in complete sentences. I understood. Hi now took deep breaths, trying to regain comfort. "What… is… Isaac's… real… name?"

I blinked. "…Itachi."

His eyes grew sad. "Fugaku's… son…. How… are… they?"

"…Who?"

"The… Uchiha."

This was a touchy subject. Luckily, Itachi wasn't awake. He was fast asleep, turned the other way. "There… there are only four Uchiha left, including you," I admitted sadly.

He closed his eyes. "…How?"

I thought of what to say. How were they killed? I could blame Danzo…. I could also lie. No, lying wasn't an option. This was his family. I opened my mouth to speak, when someone else spoke before me. "I killed them." It was Itachi. He was still turned the other way, but was now apparently awake, having had listened to our every word.

Hi's eyes opened again, and he looked to Itachi. "Why?" He was surprisingly calm, however, which I could believe considering the fact that he had killed his best friend and left Suzy for dead – but for good reason in his eyes.

"They were planning to overthrow Konoha," Itachi replied.

Hi sighed. "Did it… really… get that bad?" Itachi didn't reply, as the answer was obvious. "Itachi." Itachi slowly turned to face us, though he couldn't see us at all. He was officially blind by now. "I… heard the doctors… talk… about you. You… you are too young. Too young to die." Itachi closed his eyes. Hi's arm reached out and pressed the service button, then smiled. "My eyes… are yours."

Itachi's eyes opened. "What?" Itachi asked. "No."

"Yes. I am old, and near death anyway. You are young… only 21. You should live. Succeed our family. Maybe one day… you will restore the clan."

* * *

The surgery would be done the next day, Saturday; both Sam and Sasuke were thrilled to hear Itachi would live. Well, with Sasuke, you really couldn't tell if he was actually _thrilled_, but… you know what I mean. To me it was almost bittersweet. I was happy Itachi would live, but it would be at the cost of Hi's life.

The day of the surgery, Sam and Sasuke were waiting in the waiting room the whole time, ready to go in as soon as soon as the surgery was over. Unfortunately, I couldn't be with them, as I had to care for Sierra and Anna that day….

* * *

Yay! Itachi's saved! Finally! Or is he? But anyway, have a happyful rest of the day! :D


	11. Chapter 10

"The surgery is done, you may go in and see him," the nurse smiled. I smiled back, and went to his room. I walked in. To the far left, Hi was lying motionless on his bed. The EKG was no longer attached, but I knew it would have read flat. There was a cloth over where his eyes would be, for obvious reasons. Itachi was also still. He seemed asleep, and, surprisingly, there wasn't any cloth wrapped around his head. I thought there would have been, personally. Oh, well.

"Itachi, you awake?" I whispered. No response. That answer showed me he was still asleep. He was facing the far wall, towards the window, and Hi. I sat on that side, while Sasuke sat on the other, waiting. The sun shone on Itachi's face, which was strange. Normally there would be clouds in the sky in the winter. It was January now after all. What year was it? I didn't even know. I snapped from my thoughts when Itachi stirred. His eyes closed tight, then began to open, squinting in the light. The sun reflected off his eyes, showing – to me – renew.

I smiled at him, and he looked up at me. His eyes were unfocused at first, but soon acclimated. For the first time, he was able to look at me with full sight. "…Samantha?" I nodded, too happy to even speak. He blinked a few times, then turned his head slowly, expecting pain. He didn't wince; it was pain free. He looked to Sasuke. "…Sasuke…." Even Sasuke smiled lightly. And, I've gotta say, I understand how this was a special moment for Itachi. This was the first time since around the time of the massacre that he was able to see his precious little brother clearly.

"How do you feel?" I asked.

He looked back up to the ceiling and answered simply, "Wonderful." I looked over to the bed on the other side of the room.

Hi, even now, was smiling.

* * *

It was dark. I saw nothing; my surroundings were a black void. But I could hear. I heard footsteps, which stopped short. There was silence a moment, then a scream. "_Murderer! Murderer!_" Then a few muted thumps.

"_No!_"

I awoke, then blinked. _What was _that? I wondered, then got out of bed. I headed downstairs, where I ate and got ready for the day. It was the day of the surgery, and I had to care for Anna and Sierra. As I waited for them, I gazed out the window of the toy room, watching two little boys play. Coincidentally, they were playing an imaginary Naruto game. I could hear their squeals.

"_Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!_" one of the kids yelled (they did the right hand signs, too – tiger, horse, I think) and then began to blow. Surprisingly enough, he actually blew a fireball. I stood up quickly from my chair, eyes wide with horror as one of the little boys was burned almost to death. The boy who had blown the fireball fainted straight after, having used too much energy.

_That isn't supposed to happen, _I thought. I, however, had nieces coming over, and people were already rushing to help them. (They both ended up in the hospital, unfortunately.)

A few hours passed, and they were here. "_Aunt Natalie!"_ Anna squealed in delight, and ran to hug me. Sierra followed in pursuit. I had decided that today we'd be going on a walk through town, something simple. Neither of them would complain, and both would see it as fun.

"Did you have a dream last night?" Sierra whispered in my ear as we walked.

I nodded. "_Something _bad is gonna happen."

She nodded back. "Yeah, but mine was too blurry; I'm not completely sure what'll happen."

I shook my head. "Yeah, I couldn't see a thing." That was another thing about my niece Sierra: she had dreams too. "So we should probably keep on our guard."

"Stop whispering!" Anna whined.

"We were just talking about how much we hate Tobi," I smiled. I was joking. I was fine with Tobi, just not… Madara. I knew others who agreed; Sam, Sarah, Sierra, and Agatha. But that's beside the point.

"Hey!" Anna cried, crossing her arms, and Sierra and I laughed.

"So, I hear you think Sasori's awesome now, too?" I asked.

"Mm-hm! And Sakura's _really _awesome!" she added. I smiled.

We rounded the corner, and stopped short. All of us. My smiled faded. Anna grinned. "_Tobi!_" she squealed in delight, and ran for him. And Tobi it was. Or a cosplayer.

_Please let it be a cosplayer,_ I begged in my head. _Please let it be a cosplayer…._ Anna embraced him in a hug, and he looked down, slightly surprised. Then he looked at me, and I saw in that single hole in that swirly mask of his a red, Sharingan eye.

This wasn't a cosplayer.

I could sense his smile; he had an idea. My eyes widened and I held my breath, horrified as he slung Anna over his shoulder. Anna squeaked then screamed, pounding on his back. "_Murderer! Murderer!_" she screamed, thumping hard on his back.

"_No!_" I cried. Sierra was too shocked to speak. I ran for them, but it was too late. They swirled away.

* * *

I walked down the hall of the hospital, Itachi at my side. Sasuke was on Itachi's other side; we were making sure he didn't fall. Itachi's steps were still slightly unsure, but he had his strength back. After he had Hi's eyes, every other part of him seemed to heal. He also kept glancing around, especially confused when he saw anything electronic. There was only one thing I can say to describe what had happened. It was nothing short of a miracle. That fortune teller was right.

When we reached the lobby/waiting room thing, I saw Natalie pacing, and Sierra sitting in a chair, gazing at nothing. "Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God…," Natalie kept repeating over and over. When she noticed me, she looked at me and beamed. "Hi! It went well, I presume?" she asked, looking at Itachi.

"For once, I feel… human," Itachi answered.

Natalie grinned. "Good, good…. And how did Hi take it?"

I smiled at her. "Hi is smiling."

She looked down. "Of course…. He knows he has done his clan good," she murmured. "He's finally found a home…."

"Where's Anna?" I asked.

Her head whipped up, suddenly urgent. "She was kidnapped."

"_What?_" I asked, eyes wide.

"Madara kidnapped her."

"_Madara?_"

Sierra gave a weak laugh. "But she's still alive, right? That's good…. And at least she wasn't eaten by Zetsu…."

"Uh, tell the police!" I cried.

"Tell them _what_?" she retorted. "That a _190_ or something-year-old _man_ who wears a _swirly orange mask_ that looks like a _lollipop_ from a _TV show_ named _Tobi_ that can travel through _dimensions_ kidnapped my _niece_ because she _hugged _him?"

"…Anna _hugged_ him?"

She let out a cry of frustration, throwing up her arms. "We need to _find _her! He probably took her to the Naruto world… we need to tell Tsunade! And… and…. _Gah_!" She fell backwards onto the chair behind her.

"…We'll help," Sasuke offered.

* * *

The girl stopped the futile pounding on my back as soon as we dispersed. When we reappeared, she was too surprised to even begin again. I set her down, knowing she'd be too shocked to run anyway, and began fiddling with the lock for the cell I'd be holding her in. Why was it locked in the first place? Really. No one was being held captive.

Regardless, she composed herself, and asked, "Was that supposed to be a hug? If it was, you didn't do a very good job. You need a lesson on hugging."

"No, it wasn't," I growled.

She gasped. "Your voice got lower, Tobi!" I didn't answer, and she just stood there, watching me try to open the lock. I soon learned she was easily bored, as she pulled on my cloak in an attempt to gain my attention. "Where are we?"

I gave up on trying to get the lock to work, as it turned out I had the wrong key. Damn it, Zetsu. I huffed, leaning back.

"Gee, you sure are grumpy," she pouted.

"Be quiet, girl." I knew better than to grab her, she wasn't running away. I guessed she just had enough sense not to.

"It's _Anna_. A-n-n-a. Anna! Short for _Annalisa_. I think someone needs a cookie."

"…What is a cookie?"

She looked at me in disbelief. "No _wonder_ you're being such a grump! You haven't had a cookie for too long! A cookie is a delicious treat of wonderful goodness!" she cried, eyes almost sparkling.

I raised an eyebrow, but she couldn't really see it anyway. "Well I've never had one," I said, crossing my arms. What did I care about a "cookie?" The biggest treat I'd ever had was a simple stick of dango. I didn't have the _time _to indulge in silly things such as "_cookies_."

"Someone deserves another hug," she smiled, showing… what? Sympathy? Before I could stop her, she was hugging me again.

_She _trusts _me, _I realized in disbelief. _What is she, a fool?_

"Tobi's a good boy!" she giggled happily, squeezing tighter.

Oh…._ I get it now. She believes in my act as Tobi. Hmm… I was going to simply probe her mind in her sleep for information, but… if I earn her trust, she may just spill it all to me. On top of that, she'll stay here willingly. Of course, there's always the possibility that she's faking it, so I must keep on my guard, just in case…._ "_Yeah!_" I squealed. "Tobi is glad you think so!"

She grinned, releasing me. "See? All you needed was a big hug!"

* * *

"C'mon Apple, you gotta believe me. This whole 'go to the Naruto world' thing is _real_. Please…," I begged. "I need to find my niece."

"Look, Natalie. It was a dream," Apple answered. We were on Maxey Island, and I was trying to convince her to help me find Anna. Sam and Sierra were with us. Apple, I found, was good at stealth, and moved quickly. This was a good quality when eavesdropping on an evil organization that wanted me dead. Not that I wanted to put her in danger, but I'd most likely step on a stick or something. Sam would most likely trip and fall.

I sighed. I had no idea how to convince her. Then, an idea came to mind. "You're right, Apple," I said with fake defeat. "I just wish it _were _real…. And Apple?"

"Yes?" she smiled.

Sam, behind me, crossed her arms, not quite enjoying this, and getting impatient. Sierra was pacing. "Apple," I said warmly, "this is a dream."

She blinked at me, confused, and I opened the portal with a smile. Sierra stopped pacing. "C'mon, Apple. Have a nice… dream, and help me." I looked at her with slightly pleading eyes.

"…Of course!"

* * *

"When can I go home?" Anna asked, curious.

I looked at her, and smiled the biggest smile I could muster – if I smiled, I'd sound happy. "This is gonna be a _sleepover!_" I cried, clapping my hands.

Her face lit up. "Yay! A sleepover! I haven't had a sleepover with anyone but Nana and Aunt Natalie!"

"Oh!" I gasped, having caught a tidbit of information. "Natalie is your _aunt_?"

She grinned, and nodded. "Yeah! And she's the best aunt _ever_! She does a good imitation of you when we play with the stuffed animals, too!"

_Imitation…? I'd like to hear _that. "Oh really?"

"Of course! She does a good imitation of nearly everyone, even Itachi!"

_Thank Kami that weasel is dead, _I thought. _He'd just get in the way…. And now _Sasuke's _a nuisance as well. I was hoping he'd turn out to be on my side. Damn it, Natalie…. I can't really blame her though…. What am I thinking? Of _course _I can! _She's _the one that put my plans off-track! If it weren't for her, Sasuke would be my pawn, Deidara would still be working for me, and I might have had Nagato's eyes to myself!_

"Uh… Tobi?"

"_What?_" I snapped, and she jumped.

"…You look mad."

I closed my eyes, and composed myself. I apparently wasn't used to being Tobi anymore. "What do you mean? Tobi's not mad!"

"Well, your hands were fists, so…."

"Oh, Tobi was just thinking about what he must be missing out on without cookies," I answered, thinking something up off the top of my head.

"Tobi?"

"Yes, Anna?"

"…Can you tell me a story?"

I blinked. "…A story?" She nodded. The only stories _I_ knew would probably give her nightmares. "I'm sorry…. Tobi doesn't know any stories," I said with sadness I didn't feel, shaking my head.

"Aw…," she sighed, crossing her arms.

I sat down in a chair by my desk. I don't quite know why I had a desk. I rarely did paperwork, so I mostly just used it for thinking, or sleeping if I was really that tired. That almost never happened, however; only recently, actually. "You can tell _Tobi _a story, though," I suggested happily.

Anna sat on my lap. Okay, I wasn't expecting that. Then again, I wasn't exactly _expecting _a lot of things to happen. "What _kind _of story?" she asked.

"Hmmm," I pondered, pretending to think. "Can you tell me a story about Natalie?" She was the key, after all. _She's _the one who I needed information on.

She grinned. "Oh! I got one! One time, when I was sleeping over her house, she had just put a new poster up, and…."

* * *

"…There's no one here," Apple said, relaxing.

"Don't relax quite yet," I interjected quickly, and she immediately tensed. Another thing about Apple: she learned fast too. I still found it weird seeing her with black hair instead of its normal vibrant brown. Oh, well. I'd get used to it. Now we were beside the wall of the main Akatsuki hideout during the war in the manga. I had hoped they'd be here….

I closed my eyes, and focused, trying to sense any other chakras besides Apple's, Sierra's, Sam's, and my own. I sensed something…. My eyes flew open. "_The Zetsu clones!_" I whispered. "They're underground!" I did _not _want to come across one of those clones. They weren't even clothed! I shuddered at the thought.

"At least this is a dream…," Apple murmured to herself. Sam scowled. Sierra didn't say anything.

"Look, Apple," I warned. "This may be a dream, but you still must take caution as though it _were _real. Got it?"

"Yeah."

I noticed then that it was getting dark. I looked around, finding two boulders leaning against one another, creating a small cubby hole. "We'll camp out there tonight," I said pointing.

"There's no way we'll fit in there!" Sam argued. I walked to the cubby hole, did the correct hand signs, and shoved my hand into the ground, which immediately sank down in the area in the cubby hole. Now, the ground was lower in the cubby hole, and expanded enough so that we'd all fit. I was Earth style after all. I looked at Sam, and gestured to the new and improved cubby hole. "…Meh," she muttered as she walked past me and into the cubby.

"Nice, Natalie," Sierra said. "You gotta teach me some jutsus."

I shrugged. "It all depends on what your nature type is." I turned to look inside the cubby, where everyone was now. "Okay, we'll be taking shifts. Sierra, I suppose you'll go first, followed by Sam, Apple, and then me."

"Why are _you _last?" Sam asked, crossing her arms.

"Because I get up early anyway," I said. "And now you can sleep in, Sam. Although, I'm not too sure I want to be the one put up to the task of trying to wake you up."

Sam smiled. "Yup."

So, I went to sleep….

…And woke up to a strange sound. What was it? To explain it… it was like wood was being strained. That's the best description I can come up with. Confused, I kept my eyes open. I looked over to the post, to find Sam… asleep. I narrowed my eyes. _That_ could cost our lives. The straining became louder, when suddenly a Zetsu came between Sierra and Apple, making them fall slightly to the side.

I stared at his face, eyes wide. It was all white, of course, and a grin was plastered on his face. I shut my eyes tight, remembering, since he was a clone, that he had no clothes on. "_For God's sake put some clothes on!_" My yell awoke both Apple and Sierra, who both screamed/squeaked when they saw a random shirtless Zetsu on their faces. (Luckily, the bottom half of his body was still in the ground.)

Sam slowly awoke as well, but there was another Zetsu in front of the opening. Sam then let out a yelp, then screamed, "_Ahhh! Naked Zetsu!_" She fell backwards onto me, and I shoved her off, so she hit the edge of the cubby, causing her to grunt, which ultimately clicked my brain into gear. Don't ask how. I have no idea.

"Ha!" I fake-laughed, putting on an act for Zetsu. I knew the others didn't know about it, I'd just hope they'd catch on. "Hi Zetsu! Long time no see! I think you're the only living Akatsuki I haven't fought yet! I'd suggest you wipe that smile off your face. It's four to two!"

Sam shot a look at me, knowing I knew there were thousands more Zetsus below ground. His grin widened and more of him appeared out of nowhere. There were now five Zetsus outside, and more were coming. I gave a fake look of fear, pretending to panic, searching for options. I finally "decided" to do an earth style jutsu, knocking the Zetsus out of the doorway.

All of us ran out; we were no longer trapped in our little cubby hole. My quickly-made plan was going well. The white half of Zetsu was incredibly confident, and if I acted afraid, he'd become _over_-confident. Not only that, but Zetsu just wasn't a front-line fighter. So what he had in numbers, we made up in skill and wit. "Apple, Sierra, do your absolute _best_," I whispered. "They'll keep coming. I'll try to think of a way to get out of here."

Sam and I flipped out kunai immediately, and attacked every Zetsu in sight, Sam yelling, "_You made me kiss Pain you bastards!_" They were, in fact, incredibly weak. Kabuto must not have strengthened them yet. That was good. They were like fighting Shadow Clones, only they didn't poof away; their bodies stayed there. Sierra and Apple attacked with their own fists, and feet, as they knew they weren't skilled with a kunai yet anyway. Apple was, at first, killing them off one at a time, quite slow, but soon caught on and killed them in one or two hits. As I said, she was a fast learner. Sierra did pretty well, fueled by anger for her little sister.

Sensing Apple and Sierra's inexperience, five Zetsus teamed up on each of them. I fought my way toward them, in an attempt to help, but the Zetsus kept appearing at my feet, either tripping me, fighting me, or restraining me. One of them actually opened his entire body up and trapped me, sucking out my chakra. "Gah!" I yelled. "What the hell?" I eventually reached them, and one of the Zetsus turned to me, blood around his mouth. My mind flashed through the fact that he was a cannibal, and I screamed out, "_No, you plant-like __freak_! _Don't eat my friends!_" I shoved him out of the way, to find Apple, eyes wide, some blood on her knuckles. I sighed in relief, and helped her to her feet.

She stood there for a second. "He almost bit my hand off…," she murmured. I gave her a sympathetic look. "It _hurt_…. This… this _is _real…."

I nodded. "See? I told you, didn't I? It _is _real. And this is _real _danger."

Sam kicked a Zetsu coming up behind Apple, and said, "You might want to get back into the fight!"

I realized now that there was just too many. We'd have to get away. I made a quick sweep with my mind; Anna wasn't here. "Guys!" I called for them to gather.

I then opened a portal with my Kawarigan, and we escaped.

* * *

I didn't know what to do when she fell asleep on my lap. I was telling her of the many times "Deidara-sempai" had blown me up, and the many ways to annoy him that I knew of. Now she was sleeping soundly on my lap, snuggling into my chest. This girl was full of surprises. I tried to stay as Tobi, gently shaking her to wake her up. She stirred, but her eyes didn't open.

Letting out a sigh, I picked her up, and put her in what would be Kisame's bedroom. He wasn't here anyway, so it would be the perfect guest room. I surely couldn't put her in the cell now, as that would not be something _Tobi _would do. Once she was in bed, I went back to my desk to think.

I hadn't planned on taking any hostages. If anyone, it would have been Sam. She still had the five-tailed beast, and I needed it. However, she wasn't there when I found Natalie, but there were two _different _people I had never met. Anna and Sierra were their names, I now knew. Ha. I have to give Anna credit for giving me information.

I turned to the papers I had brought here. The real world had something my world didn't: advanced technology. And, if I harnessed it and understood it, I may have been able to use it to my own advantage. I smiled to myself and began to read.

* * *

Oh boy! Itachi's saved, everything's fine and dandy...

...And everything goes wrong.

Hope you like it! ^^ Review?


	12. Chapter 11

Oh my gosh I'm sorry this is late! D: Vacation = Busy me. You know, you'd think vacation would be about relaxing. At home. Guess not. *sigh* Oh well. I apologize.

* * *

"Hey… nice scythe."

I raised an eyebrow as he leaned toward Apple slightly. "Kankuro, you be quiet!" Sam ordered, narrowing her eyes at him. We were now in the Sand, as I had wanted to introduce Apple to Gaara. Or Gaara to Apple. Whatever.

"Why don't you shut up, _Sammy_?"

Sam scowled. She _hated _the name Sammy, I now remembered. Ha, poor Sasuke. "Shush up, you little pussy cat!"

"I _don't _look like a cat! I have a new hat, see? Maybe I'll—"

"Guys!" I yelled. Apple, Sierra, and I just stood there, Sam smirked, and Kankuro scowled, hesitantly lowering the fist he had held in the air. Sam especially annoyed him because she was now… I think two or three years younger than him. He hated most people younger than him, excluding his brother, of course. He obviously didn't hate his brother.

"I'd like Apple to meet Gaara," I said, looking Kankuro in the eye.

"Sure, sure…," he said, and put his arm around Apple. "Maybe she'll live here soon enough. It's certain she'll be my girlfriend." He smirked, and she frowned, pushing his arm away.

"Not really," she replied. Then we began heading for the Kazekage's office.

Wait. Weren't Kankuro and Apple the same age? She was, after all, 17, unlike Sam and I, who were 15. Sierra was only 13. We soon found ourselves waiting at the door of the Kazekage. "Hey Gaara?" Kankuro asked, knocking lightly. "It's me, and some visitors. Can we come in?"

There was a pause; he was either thinking, or finishing up a paper. "…Of course. Come in." Apple's eyes glowed, but when Kankuro gestured to go in, she froze.

I smiled knowingly. I had been in this situation before, only Sam was the one frozen, and it was Temari who had led us here. I grabbed her arm and lead her inside, letting her stop when she was actually able to see him. Wow, she was more like Sam than I first thought. What had Sarah said? She was like Sam, before she got grumpified. Huh. She was right. …Only Apple was nicer. And didn't mind hugs.

"H-hi… Lord Gaara." I smiled. Sam didn't remember the "lord" at first.

He nodded in acknowledgement. "This is Apple," Sam said with a grin. Gaara looked at Sam, and I saw a slight change in his expression. It was… sad. Nostalgic, even. He missed her. She had, after all, drifted slowly away without warning. And why? Because of me, right. God, I think he hated me right now.

Ha, there were two people after Sam now: Sasuke and Gaara. I understood why Sasuke fell for her: many of the girls fangirled over him, while Sam had the nerve to throw him out a two-story window. He was confused; I saw it in his eyes as he looked back up to the shattered remains of where he was thrown. He developed a… crush soon after, as she was the only one who _didn't _like him, and she proved that. As for Gaara… I'm not sure. Maybe it was because they grew closer together in those two years I was gone. He learned to trust her, and Gaara was one of the only people Sam could turn to for comfort after my "death."

Does Itachi like her? I wasn't too sure on that one, either. I know he put faith in her, trusted her with his own life. I heard the story of how Sam had saved Itachi's life when he just… gave up. When they got his heart beating again, he had been confused as to why she had saved him. Why she was crying for him. She told him that they, both Sam _and _Sasuke, really did care about him. I think he realized right then that his life wasn't meaningless after all. That maybe he _should _try to survive. And try he did, though the pain nearly drove him to insanity. Even when he was delirious, he'd murmur Sam's name. That's how much he put his hope and faith in her, even to the point that he called her name more than his own precious little brother's. Of course, that may have been because he knew Sasuke could do nothing to help him, other than stay by his side.

So, did he like her back? I didn't know. But that's beside the point, anyway. We found a room, and went to bed for the night.

However, I later awoke, finding Apple on the edge of the bed with her head in her hands. I smiled. "Sunrises help," I whispered.

* * *

I felt a light poke on my shoulder, and snapped to attention. "You fell asleep at your desk…," she said. Anna. Right.

I stretched and jumped to my feet, remembering, luckily, to be Tobi. "Ready for breakfast?"

She shook her head and pointed to the desk. "What were you doing?"

"Tobi was learning!" I cried out in fake joy.

"Learning what, Tobi?" she said, suddenly interested.

"Oh, Tobi doesn't know about your world, so he's learning about it!"

She beamed. "I can help!" she offered, and sat down on the cold, grey ground. I sat down across from her. "Well, what kind of stuff about our world are you learning about?"

"Tobi's learning a _lot _of things! Like computers and TVs and grenades and tanks and guns and electric chairs and cars and trains and planes and video games…."

She blinked at me. "I can help with _some _of those!" I nodded, urging her to continue. "Planes, cars, and trains," she said, counting off on her fingers, "are ways of getting other places. Cars need gasoline to go, and I think it's the same with planes. Trains burn coal to run, even though I know using gas and coal are bad for the world. On TVs, a picture is on the screen, which gives people entertainment. The moving pictures are either filmed with a video camera, or created with some computer program, like cartoons. Computers are like mini-TVs, but you can play games, and go on the internet: a worldwide connection place. Video games are just games you play on the TV or computer….

"As for guns, you pull a switch, and it shoots out a metal bullet. Grenades blow up. Tanks shoot metal, but bigger than a gun's bullet, while also protecting the person inside from outside normal bullets. Electric chairs are used for bad people whose punishment is being killed."

"Killed?" I asked innocently.

She nodded. "An electric chair is a chair where the person in it is strapped in, and the chair is plugged in. Then they turn it on, and the person in the chair is electrocuted to death." She frowned. "I think it's sad…."

"Yeah…," I answered, but smiled slightly underneath the mask. An idea was forming….

"I'm hungry," Anna said, crossing her arms.

I snapped back to reality. "Oh! C'mon, Anna! Follow Tobi… _to the kitchen_!"

* * *

After watching the sunrise and people were beginning to wake, I began training with Apple. She wanted to practice using her scythe. She apparently knew how to use it, as she was good. I'm glad that I'm good at dodging. Apple was fast, too, and agile as I was. So, I definitely had a few close calls. Almost a little bit _too _close. Yikes.

"You're _good_," Kankuro said, coming out of the city walls. That's where we were, by the way: right outside the entrance to the Sand village. Sam, Sierra, Temari, and Gaara followed him out, and we stopped training.

"Yeah, I agree," Temari said. "You'd almost think you were trained."

Kankuro smirked. "Yeah, she's _amazing_ with that thing. Nice body, too."

"Kankuro…," Sam threatened.

Gaara nodded, ignoring them. "Continue training."

I crossed my arms. "No. It's just weird if you're being watched while you do something like this."

Apple said nothing. In fact, she seemed nervous, and shy. I smiled. Still like Sam.

"No, no," Kankuro insisted. "Please, continue. It's amusing watching you." He finished with a wink to Apple, and she frowned.

Woah, what? I'm bad at seeing this kind of stuff, but… was he _flirting _with her? Again: _what_?

"_Kankuro_," Sam hissed in warning.

"Hey, what's wrong, huh?" he asked, giving a questioning gesture.

Temari rolled her eyes. "You're horrible at flirting, you know," she said to him, arms crossed.

"Oh, what are you talking about? I wasn't flirting. I'd _never _do something like that!"

This was when Apple snapped. "You shut up you stupid puppet man!"

He blinked. "…What?"

"You heard me!" she answered, stepping closer. "Don't even try! All you're gonna do is end in failure! Why don't you take a look at yourself? You look like _batman_, for Pete's sake! The only difference is you wear makeup!"

"…It's face paint." He paused. "Not makeup."

Apple scowled and crossed her arms. All signs of shyness were gone; for now anyway. I looked at Gaara, who was looking at Apple. I smiled. _Who knows? _I thought. _Maybe she'll have a happy ending._

* * *

"Tobi, how many nights am I staying here?" Anna asked when it was getting dark.

I turned to look at her. "Why is that, Anna?"

"'Cause I kinda don't wanna leave. I mean, I wanna go home, kinda, but I wanna stay here, too."

I smiled, though she couldn't see it. _Good. She wants to stay. It's always easier if they stay here willingly…._ "Tobi wants you to stay here a little longer!"

"Okay!" she beamed.

"And Anna?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll be going out for a little bit tomorrow… is that okay?"

She gasped. "Can _I _come along?"

I shook my head. "No, Tobi's sorry. But it'll be early in the morning, and it'll be quick!"

She looked up at me. "That's fine!"

* * *

I fidgeted with my pencil through most of math – and that was only first period. There were 9 periods in a school day. It was now Monday, and I could do nothing to help the search of Anna. I found myself glancing up at the clock frequently, wishing the school day would end quickly. I didn't catch most of what my teacher said; I was too anxious to listen.

She, however, was cut off mid sentence by a loud _boom _that shook the building. It didn't help that I was on the second floor. The teacher's eyes flitted back and forth in fear, wondering just what the heck that was. The other students were near panic asking aloud, "What the hell…?" or even "What the _fuck_?" I knew Sam was safe because, well, she was sitting next to me. We looked at one other, exchanging looks. We both understood what the other was trying to say: _Madara_.

"Stay here," I mouthed to her, and ran out the door, down the hall, took a right, rushed down the stairs, made a left, and hurried into the main office. One of the ladies was already at a speaker thing for the entire school. "Please don't panic," she said in a firm voice. "We're not quite sure what that was, but we're going to investigate. Until this is cleared up, please orderly and quietly exit the building." She then set it down.

"Let me use the speaker-thingy," I said seriously. She raised an eyebrow. "It's really important!" I nearly shouted. She handed it to me. "_Listen people! _This is Natalie, the one who went missing. Please be _very, very_ careful, and do _not _panic. I know what made that noise… or vibration. Please steer clear of the area around where it happened. And I know that—" None other than Madara came through the door, wearing a black cloak – no clouds – with a hood shrouding his face. I knew it was him, even if he was in disguise. Even if he didn't wear that lollipop-like mask. My eyes widened, and the ladies at their desks gasped. "_Run,_" I said to them, and continued faster than before in the speaker. "_AndIKnowThatYou'—"_

Madara knocked the microphone thing out of my hands, and it fell with a thump to the floor. His disguised face smiled, and picked it up. He pressed the button and said in a deep voice, "I'd suggest you worry…. Especially you, Samantha." He released the button and looked at me, no longer smiling. "What a surprise, I actually found your school. I guess it's not all me, though…." He smirked. "I must thank Annalisa for giving me the information."

"_Where is she?_" I asked coldly, eyes narrowed.

"Oh, no. I'm not telling. That would ruin the surprise…. Think of it as a game of hide-and-seek." He smiled. "Until we meet again…." He disappeared.

_What the hell? I thought chakra didn't work in the real world! _I thought. _Then again, there was that boy who used a fireball jutsu…. Gah! What is going on?_

I ran to the back of the school, where I found a gaping hole in the wall. The remnants of it was charred; he had blasted his way in, instead of simply using the doors. Outside was a jumble of classes, students and teachers alike, all looking scared, freezing cold, or both. Someone was whimpering…. My eyes widened. "Agatha!" I cried, running for the Polish exchange student.

She looked up at me. "Natalie…."

"What happened?" I asked seriously.

She sniffed. "My… my hair," she whimpered. "My… my beautiful hair…. They're gone…. Gone…."

"What happened?" I asked, now noticing her hair was burnt at the end; she must have been near the explosion. However, she didn't answer, but instead continued to whimper.

_Her hair got burnt in the explosion._ I looked around, expecting to find another student was explaining it for her, but no one spoke. _She loved her hair. It was the only thing she liked about herself._ Who the heck was saying this? Agatha continued to whimper, so it couldn't be her… but who? I was so confused….

* * *

School was cancelled until they repaired the damages, and made sure the area was clear of any bombs, and actually raised up enough money to actually _pay _for the damages, and did all the paperwork…. So, I had more time to myself. I, for one, needed to discuss things with Natalie. What had happened over the speaker? She was cut off… then _Madara _came on. Well, now we knew he played a part of this. Of course, we knew he was the one that kidnapped Anna, but we didn't know for sure at first about the bombing.

…Now we knew.

So, I invited Natalie to sleep over my house. We talked about endless problems. Natalie told me about the young boy who did a jutsu, about how _Madara_ did a jutsu, about what happened in the main office…. She informed me of how Agatha had been caught in the blast, but was lucky enough to escape with only burnt hair that had to be cut to the length of Sakura's, along with the mysterious voice Natalie had heard. We talked of the Zetsu clones, and their numbers, along with the fact that we had learned Zetsu's ability. We discussed Anna's kidnapping, how Anna's mother had gone into depression, and pondered over why Madara and Anna weren't at the hideout, but all those Zetsus were….

Again, these were seemingly endless problems. Ha. At first, we had had the best of both worlds. Literally. …Now we pretty much had the worst. Oh, joy.

Our conference had to come to a pause eventually, though, as time had flew, and it became late. The only way we knew this was because my mom came in and told us to at least get ready for bed. Only then did we look at the clock, surprising ourselves at how late it was. I grabbed my pajamas, and ran into the bathroom before Natalie was even finished getting out her toothbrush. _Ha, I got here first; she has to wait, _I thought. I got changed first, then began brushing my teeth. I was just about to finish… when the far wall crashed inward, sending some debris in my direction, also breaking the tub which caused water to start to squirt out. I dropped my toothbrush, and backed against the door.

There, in the frame of where my wall should be, was Madara Uchiha.

* * *

I heard a crash from inside the bathroom, and I sighed. What exactly was Sam _doing _in there? There was a thump, and I leaned against the wall outside the door, waiting. "Ummm… don't come in!" Sam said slowly to me.

"Obviously!" I answered, rolling my eyes.

I heard a dark chuckle, and a yelp, which certainly caught my attention. Then I became afraid…. Call me paranoid if you want, but didn't Madara say over the speaker that Sam should be especially afraid? I quickly turned the handle of the door and yanked it open. What I saw was an empty wall, along with a figure jumping away from rooftop to rooftop. My heart skipped a beat.

Sam had been captured.

* * *

"Dude!" I cried. "What if you had come in when I was _changing _you _perv_!"

"You expect me to know that was your bathroom?" Madara growled in his deep voice. I missed Tobi. Not only was he less intimidating, but he was more fun. "I'm lucky to even know that was your house."

For the next rooftop he went especially high… then dropped me to the ground. I was so surprised, I didn't even scream.

I was out like a light when I hit the ground.

* * *

Ok, I should probably apologize again for my lack of flirting ability. Aha... sorry for making Kankuro sound stupid. Forgiveth meh! :( Well, uh, I hope you liked it anyway!


	13. Chapter 12

HAPPY EASTER! I'm updating early 'cause today's a SPECIAL DAY! :D

* * *

"Samantha's gone. She… she's gone. I can't believe it. Sam is gone…. _Holy crap Sam's GONE!_" I cried. I slammed my head on the table, wrapping my arms around my head. I had called a meeting of the Riaru; now Sierra, Agatha, Sarah, Ashlie, Apple, Nadia, Brittany, Haruka, Mackenzie, and I all sat around my dining room table. I had already explained to all of them about what had happened at the first hideout, how I had learned of Zetsu's ability to literally open up and suck away chakra, about the fact that everything was going wrong so they should keep their guard up….

I lifted my head and took a deep breath. "So," I continued, "I will keep on search for both of them. I know where every Akatsuki hideout is, and that's an advantage they must not have thought about when they brought me in."

"You were in the _Akatsuki_?" Ashlie asked in awe.

I nodded. "In the American show, I am known as Natari. So, I joined, but quit."

"Kinda like Orochimaru…," Brittany said, which gave me chills. I didn't want to be lumped in the same category as Orochimaru.

"Actually… I wore his ring," I admitted.

"That is _so cool_!" Brittany praised.

I gave a slight nod and said, "But that is beside the point. Because I know every Akatsuki hideout, I will make a search in every one until I find them. However, I can bring no more than four people with me, as this is a mission of stealth, speed, and accuracy. That's why I must bring only two other Riaru clan members, as they are less experienced. The faster we find them, the better. I'm pretty sure Madara will try to extract Sam's beast, so we don't have much time."

"Sam's a _jinchuriki_?" Mackenzie asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. In the American version of Naruto, she's Samansa. Now, Sierra will accompany me on every journey, as her little sister is one that has been held captive. Who wants to come along for this one?" I finally asked, very serious.

"Oh, can I go?" Agatha immediately asked, before anyone could even react. I gave a nod, and she grinned. "Yes! Now I can not only avenge my hair, I can also save friends!" I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm.

* * *

"Who was that?" Anna asked, trying to peek over my shoulder. I had just put the unconscious Sam in a cell, and I didn't want Anna knowing quite yet that I really was a bad guy. I didn't know why it was considered _bad_, though, but that was just my point of view. It was all toward a greater cause…. I couldn't risk Anna wanting to run away. It's not that she would actually get out, but she stayed here without having to be locked up, and she followed any orders I might have given. Sam's cell was in a separate room, where Zetsu would watch her.

"Tobi found Samantha, and now he's gonna care for her!" I answered with glee.

Her face lit up. "Oh, you're so nice," she said, hugging me.

I hugged her back immediately and swung her around. I was _Tobi _to her, after all. When she fell asleep in my lap – _again_ – and I put her to bed, I was left with my thoughts. I had figured out the damage a grenade could do, blasting into her school's wall. _I could do the same with a paper bomb, _I had thought. Tomorrow I'd see what exactly a gun could do, but that's not what my mind seemed to be set on.

I had seen Natalie again, after that year she was supposedly "gone." I had taunted her, angered her, by hinting, slightly reminding her that I had her little niece. I knew that she'd feel guilty just thinking about it. She had been watching over Annalisa when I took her, so she may have felt guilty of losing her to me. Ha.

The problem here was I kept thinking about it, even as I continued to read about electric chairs and cars. I found myself reading the same paragraph over and over. I was unfocused, haunted by a feeling of… what? Regret, maybe? _No…. I haven't felt regret even once in my life. Not even when I took Izuna's, my own younger brother's, eyes. Sure, I'm not completely comfortable with the topic, but I'm not _regretful. I shook my head. What was wrong with me? "Maybe sleep will do me good," I muttered, and headed off to my own bed.

* * *

"All right, Agatha, You can choose up to two people to bring with us to help," I said. Agatha, Sierra, and I happened to be at Hidan's house at the moment; I needed to check on him every so often so he didn't go on a rampage to kill the whole village and escape. That would be bad, don't you think? Of course, I knew this was killing him, as he desperately wanted to make it up to Jashin for not wreaking havoc.

Anyway, I had already talked to Tsunade, confirming I could choose anyone I wanted, that wasn't on a mission. I thought I already knew who Agatha would choose. "I pick Shikamaru and Kiba," she answered matter-of-factly. Yep. I was right.

Hidan dropped his popsicle. He had grown a strong liking to them ever since Naruto introduced them to him right before he left for Mount Myoboku…. "What the hell is _wrong _with you?" he asked, angered at even the mention of Shikamaru.

Agatha glared up at him. "Well, he's obviously better than you," she replied. I quickly led Sierra and Agatha out as Hidan let out a long string of curse words.

"Um, here's a note: never talk about Shikamaru around Hidan," I said.

Sierra laughed. "Yeah…. I really didn't need to hear that…." We then headed in the direction of Shikamaru's house. However, we came across Kiba, Shino, and Hinata, waiting for Kurenai. Kiba was one of the people we were looking for, so we stopped.

"Hey, guys!" I called. "Remember me?"

Kiba took a deep breath in through his nose and answered, "Of course, Nat!"

Why did he insist on calling me that? Really. "Hi Natalie…," Hinata greeted. Shino just gave a nod of his head in acknowledgement. "Do you remember Agatha?" I asked, gesturing to her.

Shino stepped forward. "I don't think we were introduced," he said, and held out his hand. I didn't know how that happened, but Agatha didn't recall encountering him, either. She hesitated, but shook his hand.

One moment later, her face was overcome by a strange, disgusted expression. She leapt back, screaming. "_Gah! Get it off, get it off, get it off!_" she cried, waving her arm around desperately. Kiba raised an eyebrow. Akamaru barked. When she was satisfied, she shivered and explained, "I'm sorry Shino; I just _really _hate bugs."

I laughed. "No offense, Shino, but I'm not too fond of bugs either." I coughed, then looked at the three. "This is Sierra, my niece," I introduced, and she waved.

"Nice to meet you," Hinata said.

"Hey," answered Kiba.

Shino said nothing. God, I hoped he wasn't mad at Agatha and me…. Oh, well. I looked at Kiba. "Kiba, would you like to come with Sierra, Agatha, and I to search an Akatsuki hideout for Samantha?" I said Samantha because he knew of her.

His expression brightened. "Akatsuki?" He grinned. "I'd _love _to kick some Akatsuki ass! I'm in!" As we were leaving, he called to Shino and Hinata, "Tell Kurenai-Sensei I couldn't make it!"

Wasn't Kurenai pregnant? Then again, people here were able to age for the year Sam and I were gone because the main character wasn't there. So… would she have already had her baby? Huh, probably.

"So… are we picking up anyone else?" Kiba asked.

"Yep," I answered as we neared Shikamaru's house. "Shikamaru."

* * *

The hideout where we arrived was the same hideout I had made the deal with Pain in. The same one where both Sam and I were locked up. It was hidden in the Land of Grass, which was luckily not _too _far from the Leaf. I led my four companions – five, if you counted Akamaru – to where I remembered was the entrance, and exit. Its dark walls stood out against the light green grass surrounding it, but no one suspected they used it because it was supposedly just an old, abandoned building near what was now the ruins of a small village. At first glance, no one would suspect it to be an Akatsuki hideout, even if you looked inside, since it looked as abandoned as it was thought to be with bare, dull walls and empty rooms.

Nice place, huh?

"This is the entrance," I whispered while already expanding my senses to see if anyone was inside. I didn't sense anyone. "We're going in. I'll lead, since I know this place. Don't split up – we know how strong Akatsuki members are. And everyone, be cautious and on alert."

"Cautious?" Kiba asked. "I don't _need _to be cautious! I can beat 'em!"

"They have unimaginable powers," I replied darkly. "I suggest you listen to me. Those remaining in Akatsuki, or working for Akatsuki that I know of, include someone who uses Impure World Resurrection, someone who seems impervious to pain, one of the great ninja swordsmen of the mist, and we can't forget the Uchiha that started it all."

"What do you mean, 'started it all?'" Sierra asked.

"If Madara hadn't taken control of the nine-tailed fox, Kushina would still be the jinchuriki, Naruto wouldn't be an orphan, the Uchiha wouldn't be discriminated, which means they wouldn't want to create a coup, which would end in Itachi not being ordered to kill the clan, so Sasuke wouldn't resent him, and he wouldn't go searching for power in Orochimaru in the first place… you see where I'm going with this?"

Sierra, Kiba, and Agatha nodded, while Shikamaru was on alert. He knew this was dangerous territory. He had fought an Akatsuki after all, and had lost his teacher in the battle. "So, Kiba," I said very seriously, "please, _be cautious_." He 'hmph'd, but grudgingly agreed.

We went through the door, coming to an empty room closing into a hallway that turned to the left up ahead. I knew once we turned left, there would be a line of cells on the left side. We walked ahead, and I was right. Here was the row of cells Sam and I were held captive in. They were empty now, and it was dark, only shafts of light pouring in from the small, too-small-to-fit-through windows in the cells.

I kept going forward, still on alert. We made another left – the hall Itachi had led me down, toward another room where Pain had been waiting for me. There were many empty rooms on either side, doors ajar, floors dusty. These rooms weren't used, even when all of the Akatsuki had been here. At the end of the hall was the door that led to the room where Pain had been. Another hall went both left and right beside the door. We stopped at the wall, and I peeked in both sides, making sure it was clear.

To the right was a door; the room I had to stay in before I left with Deidara and Tobi. To the left was a long hall with other halls branching off on both sides. Finding nobody was here, I rushed to the left, made a right, and found the hall ended and opened into a large room with a high ceiling. This was where the Akatsuki had had the meeting after I had gone Nekomata. I snickered softly at the memory of many of the Akatsuki members sleepy and irritable. Those with me gave me an odd look.

I smiled and shrugged, then looked out into the room. In what seemed to be the very center, there was a figure. My eyes grew wide and I looked back to Agatha, Kiba, Akamaru, and Shikamaru to put a finger to my lips, telling them to be quiet. Looking closer, I could tell who the figure was.

Yoshiaki.

"That's Yoshiaki," I whispered as quietly as I could. "He's skilled with a sword, and he doesn't seem to care about his own injuries. So be careful. The element of surprise is vital here—"

"_Man-Beast Ultimate Taijutsu: Fang Over Fang!_" Kiba said… quite loudly. I couldn't help but facepalm. So much for the element of surprise.

"You idiot!" Agatha yelled. "…_Kibaka!_"

I looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Kibaka?"

"Baka means idiot."

"Well, yeah…. Wow."

She shrugged. "I came up with it awhile ago, when my dog woke me up too early in the morning."

I looked back to Kiba, whose jutsu was being blocked by Yoshiaki's blood-red sword. I sighed. "We might as well move out," I said, while doing hand signs. Rat, snake, tiger…. _Earth Release: Earth Flow Wave!_ I slapped my hand on the ground, and rode a wave of stone towards Yoshiaki, hoping to hit him. He wasn't expecting me, so he was caught under the wave I had created. Kiba, luckily, got out of the way in time.

Unfortunately, the heap of rocks began to shake, and Yoshiaki burst out, unaffected. I tumbled backward, did a flip, and landed on my feet. Agatha was here by now, flipping out her own sword to fight him. I was about to call for her to stop, when someone else said, _She takes Karate, I wouldn't worry. _I blinked. _In fact, she's a brown belt._ It was that voice again._ …There's his weakness! It's his head!_

Well… at least that voice was on our side. I hoped I wasn't going insane. Sure, many called me crazy, but I only heard voices when I was completely and utterly hyper, or I was Crazed. I was neither at the moment. Agatha expertly spun her sword and sheathed it, then began going for Yoshiaki's head. Now I knew she heard the voice too. Interesting.

With each punch, each attack Agatha made, aiming for his head, he dodged, not even using his sword, slowly backing away. Actually, he sheathed his sword. Shikamaru was waiting behind him, already making a hand sign. Suddenly Yoshiaki stopped moving, and his head jerked backward when Agatha hit it, hard. His head leaned back a second more, staring at the high ceiling. Then it jerked back upright and he began struggling to move.

His arm, shaking, began reaching down for his weapons pouch, but it didn't work. Instead, Yoshiaki instead began making the hand sign Shikamaru was making. "Where is Madara hiding?" Shikamaru asked calmly.

"Yeah!" Kiba said and got right in front of Yoshiaki. "Tell us where he is or I'll put you in a lot of pain!"

Yoshiaki closed his eyes, not answering. "I cannot answer that question," he replied.

"Why _not_?" Kiba asked.

"I was told not to. I only follow orders, nothing more."

"What about Sam, huh?" Kiba asked, gripping the high collar of his Akatsuki cloak.

"And Anna!" Sierra added.

He stayed silent. We waited. Bad idea – Yoshiaki began melting away. Sierra fell to her knees, feeling hopeless, no doubt.

"No!" I yelled. "Tell me where they are! Where are they?" It was too late, though. He was already gone.

* * *

"They are still searching," Yoshiaki confirmed.

I smiled beneath the mask. Yoshiaki was incredibly obedient. Having no emotions helped. "Good. The longer they're delayed, the more time we have to extract the five-tailed beast." Anna was asleep, so she'd hear none of this. Besides, we were in the small room where Samantha's cell was, with the door closed. I had tested the effects of a gun. I didn't like using it much. It didn't bring much satisfaction, as the victims died quickly… too quickly in my eyes. I liked to play with them a bit before I took their life.

"It could take a while, with only three people," Zetsu put in.

"I hate my life," Sam muttered from inside her cell.

"Good," I chuckled. "We can put you out of your misery."

She glared at me. "Let me rephrase that. I hate _you_."

"Oh, that's too bad," I answered, cocking my head to the side. "Anna seems to like me just fine."

"You shut up about Anna!" she yelled, putting her hands on the bars. "What did you do to her?"

I smirked, even if she couldn't see it. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about her right now. I think you should be worrying about yourself."

Her eyes narrowed. "Natalie'll kill you," she said, crossing her arms and slumping down back in the corner. I involuntarily winced; luckily, no one saw it. She smiled. "Even if you do take my life, Natalie will get her revenge on you. There's nothing you can do about it."

I narrowed my own eyes, and turned to open the door. With my hand on the handle, I said without looking back, "She won't get the chance, Samantha. She's next." While walking out the door I added simply, "Zetsu, watch her."

* * *

Uh... review? :D


	14. Chapter 13

Ok, **Random Person 001**, _heeere's_ Brittany!

Although, I must say this. When I was writing this point in the story, I didn't have a lot of information on Britt. Therefore, I couldn't write all that much about her. Of course, I know more now, so she'll be seen more in the story later on. Unfortunately, because this story was originally intended for Sam, anyone Sam doesn't know has to be only a minor character. You see, Britt is a reader that volunteered to be in the story when I asked, so... yeah. She, sadly, isn't a main character. But she'll be seen more as time goes on! Sorry if I disappointed you, **Random Person 001**. I hope you forgive me... :c

* * *

"So, Haruka, Brittany, who would you like to bring?" I asked them. Both Brittany and Haruka were coming this time.

"I _would _ask for Orochimaru, but that isn't happening. So… Haruka, you can choose," Brittany said.

"Oh, how about Sasuke, Naruto, Itachi, Kiba, Gaara, Neji, and maybe Sai?"

I blinked twice. "…Can you narrow it down to two?"

"Three?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Neji, Sasuke, and Itachi," she smiled. I kinda felt bad for Sierra, since she wasn't able to choose. Poor her. So, we headed for our next destination: the Hyuuga house.

* * *

The next hideout was hidden underground beneath the desert. You'd think it'd be incredibly hot in there, but the thick ceiling sheltered the hideout from the sun, so it was cooler than outside, which was good. The desert was _hot_, and the cloaks didn't do much to help keep the warm out. At all. I have no clue how Sasori could stand it, being in a puppet, _and _a cloak. Maybe because he was a puppet. Huh. There's an idea.

Either way, it would be tough finding our way around. I had only been here once, and the inside was a labyrinth of winding tunnels. There was no way we were splitting up, knowing how good the Akatsuki were. Even if, of course, our group included two Uchihas and a Hyuuga. In fact, one of the Uchihas had the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. So… yeah. Damn, Itachi was freakin' _strong _now! Remember when he was too weak to even eat? Not anymore! Now, he was trying to grasp his own strength! You'd think he'd at least have to _recover_ from all that time spent in the hospital, but _nooo_….

Whatever.

We hopped in the small circle in the ground that was the entrance one by one. "_Now_ where do we go?" Brittany asked, finding it split off both ways at the entrance.

"I know this hideout," Itachi said.

"Oh?" I answered. "That's good. I was only here once."

He nodded. "This way." He led us to the right, and we all followed. As I walked, I spread out my senses, hoping to find Sam's chakra. No luck, but there was still a possibility she was here…. Right?

We wound through many hallways and corridors, and came to a place where a few rocks were placed in the middle of the hall. Or rather, they seemed to have fallen there. We all examined it. "What do you think it means?" I asked Itachi, looking at him.

"I—" A figure jumped from behind the pile and stood before us. I looked at him, and screamed.

It was Mamoru.

He clamped his hand over my mouth. "No, Natalie, shhh!" he whispered.

I nodded, eyes wide, and he let go. Mamoru was _dead_! How did he get here? Why was he here? Was he _alive_? He looked okay. Perfectly fine, even!

"You have to be quiet!" he said in a strained whisper. We all glanced at one another.

"Who's he?" Brittany asked.

"…Mamoru, right?" Sierra added.

"I think," Haruka answered.

"I thought he worked for Orochimaru," Neji said.

"I thought he was _dead_," Sasuke put in, crossing his arms.

"Kabuto is here," Mamoru continued. Well, that explained how he was alive. Or… more like living dead.

"Kabutochimaru is here?" Brittany cried. All of us 'Shhh'd her, and she was quiet.

"Yes, he's here. I don't want to fight you. The only reason I can move freely is because he trusts me. That's good. Get out, now, before he knows we're here."

"But Sam…," I said.

"And Anna!" Sierra added.

He shook his head. "They aren't here. Only Kabuto. It's a trap. Now go! Hurry! If he comes, I'll have to fight you…."

We turned away, and began to run. I looked back, only to say to him, "Thank you. For everything." He smiled. I smiled back, but it went away when I ran right into Sasuke. I was about to ask him what the hell he was doing, stopping at a time like this, but then I saw what lay ahead. "No…," I murmured.

Ahead of us was both Yasuko and Tama. "Hey, again!" Tama greeted. "And to think I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Run!" Yasuko yelled. "Get away!"

I looked back, hoping to find the other way was still clear. It wasn't. Katsu stood beside Mamoru, with Kabuto standing atop the rocks, smirking, arms folded. "Well… this sucks, doesn't it?" Katsu asked. "For a while I'd wanted to die. I thought I'd retired when you killed me. So much for that."

"Kabutochimaru!" Britt cried.

I innerly facepalmed. She shouldn't be _happy_….

"That's _Kabuto_," Kabuto scowled.

I did the first thing that came to mind, and took a deep breath. _Fire Release: Small Fire Stream!_ I blew fire directly at Kabuto… and he blocked it. Darn. Itachi glanced at me. He had taught me that jutsu. Heh. I wondered briefly if Sam knew he had been my sensei. I guess Kabuto didn't notice Itachi. Good thing, I don't think they knew he was alive. Well, since that didn't work, I tried something else. Rabbit, boar, rat, horse, tiger, snake…. I slapped my hand on the ground. _Earth Style: Planet Splitter!_ The ground between Kabuto and us fell away, creating a deep chasm. He stopped, slightly surprised. Yasuko and Tama got us from behind, however….

"Eight Trigrams Air Palm!" Neji yelled, and Tama was pushed back. So, luckily, Sasuke, Itachi, and Neji were taking care of that.

"Get out!" Yasuko cried again. "Please!"

I took the time we had to turn on my Kawarigan and create a portal. "Guys, get in!" I yelled, and we made our escape.

* * *

"Is there any other way we can help?" Sasuke asked. Itachi nodded in agreement. Neji had already left, seeing it as merely another mission. Oh, well.

Still, the two Uchiha brothers wanted to help, and I knew exactly how. "There was a little kid, in my world, who blew a fireball. He looked to be only six or seven." They exchanged glances. "Also, when Madara came to my world, he was able to teleport away – another jutsu. The thing is, chakra isn't supposed to work in my world."

Itachi nodded. "We'll do what we can to help figure that out," he said, and they left.

* * *

"They got away," Kabuto frowned.

"That's fine," I answered. "All we want is to delay them. You delayed them, didn't you?"

"Yes" was his answer.

I smiled. Good enough for me. "Once Kisame arrives, we'll begin Samantha's extraction." I paused. "I'm going out."

"Where to?"

I smiled. "You'll see. Zetsu!"

He molded out of the ground between me and Kabuto. "Yes?"

"Watch Anna and Sam while I'm gone, and make sure you don't scare off Anna, either."

He nodded. "Okay."

* * *

The next hideout we went to was the one I had run into right after Mamoru died. It was hidden deep within a forest within the Land of Fire. It was within the within. Ha. Sierra, Sarah, Hidan, Ashlie, and I walked along the path Zetsu led me through. And by path I mean there was no path. I guess one of the reasons it was well-hidden was this. The other reason was because it looked like a normal old cave. And that's what it was: a cave. That's it. Not too comfortable, but Akatsuki didn't travel in comfort.

I was already expanding my senses when it came into sight. There was definitely someone here…. But who? I opened my eyes, and blinked. Kisame was waiting at the entrance of the cave, waiting for us. "You got Hidan, too?" Kisame said, standing. He twirled Samehada and rested it on his shoulder.

"Oh my God it's Kisame," Ashlie whispered.

_Oh, right…. Kisame is the one of the ones she fangirls over…. Great…._

Sarah's mouth was slightly open, but then she had an open-mouthed smile as she ran over to him. Kisame smile turned to more of a frown as she slowly pointed her index finger at his "gills," slowly poking them, but pulling back quickly and running back. "I touched his gills!" Sarah cried in delight.

"That's great, Sarah," I replied, none too enthusiastically.

Hidan smirked. "Long time, no see, Kisame."

Kisame smirked right back. "You know, I would have _loved _to see you and Kakuzu beaten."

Hidan's smirk turned into a scowl. "I thought we were on the same team, fish f**ker!"

Kisame narrowed his eyes, smirk immediately wiped from his face. "Why you-!" He ran forward, Samehada raised. I jumped between them and began fighting Kisame instead. And don't worry, I had a good reason.

"So, Kisame, how's life?" I asked as I dodged his sword again and again.

"You'll make it better if I beat the crap out of you," he answered with a grin.

"That's not very nice…," I replied in a fake pout. I continued, "Now, is Madara holding up his deal with you?"

He frowned. "What deal?"

"Well, all you really want is somewhere to belong, right?"

He stopped fighting, and I punched him in the gut. He didn't react. "What do _you_ know about that?" he asked with a glare.

"I know these things; I guess it's just another power of the Riaru."

He instantly swung his sword in my direction, and I jumped out of the way. "You know nothing!"

"Do too!" I answered. "I know that two plus two is four! I know that I am Natalie – I know who I am, and where I belong! I know that where you belong is where people care about you! And do you know what _else_ I know?"

He frowned, and we continued to fight as he replied, "What?"

"I know that Madara is using you. He lied to you about creating somewhere you can belong. He manipulated you, and he's now using you as a mere tool. He doesn't care about you. You don't belong. That is what I know."

He scowled. "_Water Style: Exploding Water Shock Wave!" _he yelled, and water surged out of his mouth and onto the ground.

"Everybody look out!" I cried, jumping as high into the air as I could. I landed on the top of a tree. Kisame stood on top of the cave.

"You're wrong," he said. "That's a lie. The world we live in now; it's all lies. Madara will create a world of truth. That's what I know." He rode a wave forward, hitting me square in the stomach with his fist. I flew backward, chakra drained considerably, and hit a tall standing rock. It hit my head, so it took a second to realize I was sinking in the water. I swam back up, and climbed out of the water to stand atop it.

"I'm sorry Kisame," I told him. "This is the truth: you're just caught in a web of lies." Then I jumped up, dove in the water, and swam to my friends, opening a portal for our escape. Sam wasn't here. I knew that. She'd be in the cave, and Kisame had just flooded it. I was officially stumped.

* * *

Kisame appeared before me. "My job is done," he said.

Anna stared up at him. "Why are you so _blue_?" she asked.

He frowned. "Shut up. Who's the kid?"

"Natalie's niece," I answered.

"Oh?"

I nodded, but he hesitated to leave.

"Can I help you?" I asked, still trying my best to sound somewhat like Tobi.

"Mada—" I cleared my throat, and he understood immediately. "Tobi. Would you… care if I died in battle?"

I blinked, then frowned. "You're death would be a great loss to the organization, yes."

He paused, debating this in his head. "Okay," he said. "Thanks." He walked off to join the others.

I smiled despite myself after he left. Tomorrow morning, we'd begin the extraction. Anna yawned, and nestled into the crook of my arm. "You know what, Tobi?" she asked softly. "I really think you are a nice person, no matter how many times Aunt Natalie and Sierra say you're bad. I know you're not." With a sigh, she went to sleep.

I blinked. I still couldn't believe how much she trusted me. In fact, it seemed at though she trusted me over her sister. If that was so, I didn't understand it. I carried her – again – to Kisame's room, then remembered Kisame would actually be using it. So, I put her in my own bed, knowing I'd be staying up all night anyway.

I headed back to my desk and began to work on the beautiful contraption I had stolen.

* * *

I sat in my living room, looking down, barely listening to the news. "_Another street has been terrorized. Most were killed with a gunshot, while others were stabbed to death or even slammed against a wall. The only witness says it was a man with—"_

Mom changed the channel. "_The strangest thing happened two days ago: an anime studio was robbed. The robber appears to have only taken one thing, but the workers have yet to release what that item is._"

"You hear that Natalie?" my mom asked. "An anime studio was robbed. How strange is that?"

"Not as strange as me disappearing of the face of the earth for two years, then coming back perfectly fine."

She laughed, then stopped and answered, "I guess you're right!" Precious hopped onto the couch, and I began to pet her. She began to purr, then lay down beside me.

Five days later, I still hadn't figured out where they could be, and I was worried. What if Sam was already extracted? Was Anna okay? Unfortunately, though, we had looked through all the hideouts I knew of, but to no avail. Where could they be? I went to the Naruto world, to get an update from Sasuke and Itachi's research, and met up with Naruto for lunch at Ichiraku first.

"Is this how it felt?" I asked. "When Sasuke went away?"

He finished slurping up his noodles and answered, "No. With Sasuke, and with you, you chose to go away. If you choose to do it, it's harder and more painful to get them back."

I blinked. "I can't even imagine…." Don't get me wrong. I actually have a pretty good imagination. Maybe that's where I get some of those strange dreams. Not the kind that mean something, but the kind that's completely and utterly random and makes no sense at all. I loved those dreams, and still do. Like the one where Sasori's butt was names Knop. Yeah… I don't know.

"Well," I said, "I'm gonna go to see how Sasuke and Itachi's research is going."

"You didn't finish your ramen again," he scolded.

"Eat it for me, I'm not that hungry."

He shrugged and slurped it up in an instant. "Can I come?" he asked, standing. I smiled, and nodded. We began to walk forward having a less serious conversation on the wonders of ramen, and reflecting on some of the fun times we had together.

"So, what happened while you were in the real world?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Well," he began, "Gaara and I woke up on the roof a small house. It was hard to comprehend being in 3-D." I nodded. If Sam and I were dizzy, I couldn't imagine what they went through. "Gaara handled it better then I did," he continued. "I fell off the roof! Gaara came down after me, and we began swimming to shore, since we were on an island. Half-way through we realized there was a bridge."

I laughed.

He laughed too and replied, "It wasn't funny!"

"Oh really? I think—" I stopped. Something went through the air. It was like… a pulse. Naruto's pupils went huge, and he slowly fell forward. I caught him. "Naruto!"

His eyes were now closed; he was unconscious. I carried him as fast as possible to the hospital, where a nurse took him in, explaining Naruto wasn't the only one.

Feeling confused and alone, I headed to Sasuke and Itachi's house, so I could get the information. Who knows, maybe it could help. "Sasuke?" I called, opening the door. "Itachi?"

Sasuke scared the crap out of me when he ran straight for me, and stopped directly in front of me. Itachi simply walked with a serious face. Then again, both of them usually had a serious face. Either way, I could tell it was serious. "What did you find?" I asked.

"The walls between the two worlds are breaking down!" Sasuke immediately answered.

"_What_?"

"The portal is collapsing, and it gets worse the more we use it," Itachi added. "It's not a good idea to travel between worlds so much."

"In fact, it would be best of you had to choose a side and stay there, and stabilize the portal so it won't be used again," Sasuke put in.

"If it does collapse, the weaker world, our world, will cease to exist," Itachi said urgently.

I stared at both of them, mouth slightly ajar. "…What?"

I was sat down in their living room, and they explained it to me.

Using the portal between the Naruto world and the Real world had weakened the barriers between the two dimensions, causing the portal to start to collapse. That was why the little boy had blown a fireball. Because the barriers were weakening, the weaker world would collapse altogether. Since the Real world was the "real" world, it was the strongest of all the worlds. So, the Naruto world would cease to exist. That was why Naruto, and others, had fallen unconscious randomly. My world would swallow this world, and it would never be again. The only way to stop this was to stop using the portal, and stabilize it so it would never be used again. However, if I didn't use the portal, there would be almost no way to get between the worlds. So, I only had a short amount of time to choose which world I was willing to call my home for the rest of my life, no turning back.

The multiverse is so confusing.

"How much time do I have to think about this?"

"It's not a matter of time, it's a matter of how many times you use the portal," Sasuke replied.

I shook my head. I had no idea how they figured this out. Then again, both of them were geniuses. I'm just glad they figured it out before it was too late. I sighed. "I'll need to think about this, as well as ask the others who came to make sure they've made their choice to stay or go. Guys, can you come with me, just so that I have someone from the Naruto world with me?"

They looked at me with confusion. "Sure…."

"I'll have an answer as soon as possible. I'm determined not to let this world fall."

* * *

Well, uh... crap. I don't want the Naruto world to stop existing!

Is it good? Is it bad? Amazing? Is it gut-wrenching? Awesomely awesome? Terrible? Tell me in a review! I likes me my reviews! *chibi face* Pwetty pwease?


	15. Chapter 14

Thank you, **Random Person 001**, for reviewing again! :D I appreciate it!

* * *

I sat on the living room couch, head in hands, trying to think. I had tried for three years to make it home… but could I really consider it my home anymore? Mom was barely home and Dad was busy. I had been depressed when I found I couldn't go back to the Naruto world; I even went through the stages of grief. Sure, I'd lived without the Naruto dimension before, but now I couldn't imagine living without them. In my world, I usually felt alone and out of place, except when I was with my friends. I was always unsure of myself. In the Naruto world, I had adapted quickly, and made friends easily. In my world, friends were incredibly hard to get. But my family was in the real world. In the Naruto world, I was confident in myself, no matter what happened, no matter who I was talking to. I felt like… I belonged.

I looked up. _Somewhere to belong._ I sadly smiled. I knew what I had to do.

* * *

We all stood on the beach of Maxey Island. Me, Sarah, Agatha, Ash, Apple, Nadia, Sierra, Britt, Haru, Mackenzie… everyone but Sam and Anna. "So, guys," I began, "we all know weird things have happened in the past month." There were a few nods. "Well… I know this is a lot to ask… but… we have to choose either the Naruto world or the Real world."

"So… you're telling us… that we have to choose one or the other?" Brittany asked. I nodded, and she smiled. "Naruto world for me!"

I turned, asking for each answer in turn. "Mackenzie?"

"Naruto world, of course!"

"Haruka?"

"Naruto world," she smiled.

"Sierra?"

"…Where are you going?" she asked quietly.

I gave a sad smile. "The Naruto world."

"Naruto for me too…."

"Nadia?"

"No way! You guys are crazy! The real world is where we belong."

"Apple?"

"Naruto world."

"Ashlie?"

"Naruto world, definitely."

"Agatha?"

"I never wanted to leave the Naruto world in the first place!"

"Sarah?"

"Naruto world, duh!"

I closed my eyes. "Then it is decided."

* * *

The next day, Sierra, Sarah, Agatha, Sasuke, Itachi, and I were taking a walk through town, through the same streets that Anna had been captured in. "You're all gonna have to train to be ninja," I said.

_I wonder what my dad would think._

_I won't ever see my family again._

_I get to be with Hidan!_

I stopped walking, taken aback. Those… those were _thoughts _I heard. That must have been the voice I heard with Agatha! I focused harder.

_Agatha, you really think this is right? I mean, we'll never go back to Poland, and…._

"Shut up, Muse…," she muttered under her breath.

"That's Muse!" I cried. "I figured it out! The voices I've been hearing aren't voices at all! They're your thoughts!" They all looked at me like I was crazy. "The walls between the two dimensions are coming down!"

"Is that why we had to choose?" Apple asked.

I nodded vigorously, then realized something. I had searched all throughout the Naruto world… but not in the Real world. I closed my eyes and focused, expanding my senses…. "Oh my god," I whispered, opening my eyes.

"What?" Sierra asked.

"They're here! They're here!" I yelled, and ran to where I had sensed them. I had found Madara. And where Madara was, was where Anna and Sam were. I had found them. I turned a corner, ran down an alley, and found and old abandoned building. Everyone had followed me. I barged through the first door I saw… and came to a sight I didn't want to see. It was Sam, falling to the floor just as they finished the jutsu. "_Sam!_" I screamed, no longer thinking straight.

Those who had been performing the jutsu turned to look at me. I didn't care. What lay before me was something I'd never believed could happen. Sam had been extracted. She was… gone. I didn't even know I was crying until I tasted the salt. I fell to my knees. "Sam," I choked out. We had done near everything together, and we'd certainly been through a lot. How could I put her through this when I became Naomi? How cruel! Maybe I just thought I wasn't as important, who knew? "Sam…," I whimpered.

Madara sucked Yoshiaki, Zetsu, Kisame, and Kabuto away, most likely to the Naruto world. I glared at him. I wanted nothing more than to let the powerful surge of hatred take control, but I wasn't going to do that. "You… killed her…."

"Hardly," he answered. "I had others to help. But yes, I'm the one who brought her here."

"You…. How _could _you…?" Everyone else was speechless. Sarah was breathing heavily in and out, trying to calm herself. "You _killed _her…."

The door in the far left side of the room opened. "Hello? Tobi, I don't know what to do…." Anna's head peeked out. "Aunt Natalie!" she cried in joy. "Sierra!" She ran forward, but stopped short when she saw Sam. "Sam…?"

"Tobi!" I cried. "Tobi did this! You see, Anna? Tobi… no, _Madara_! He isn't as good as you thought!"

She crouched down, peering at Sam's face. "Is she… sleeping?"

I shook my head. "She's dead, Anna. I hate to tell you this, but she's dead. She's _dead!_" I pounded my fist on the floor.

Madara chuckled. "Don't believe your aunt yet, _Annalisa_?"

She stared at him with wide eyes, tears beginning to leak. "You… did this?" He nodded. "And it wasn't an accident?"

"Not at all," he answered. I heard the smile in his voice, which just made me hate him all the more.

She took a step back, then ran to me, sobbing into my shirt. She looked back at him and cried, "I _trusted _you!" Then she choked out, slumping to her knees, "Murderer, murderer…." Sierra ran forward and scooped Anna up in her arms, attempting to comfort her.

I stood, a cold expression on my face. "You will pay…. You won't get _near _any of my friends _again_! Keep that in mind, you—" A long groan interrupted me. I looked around the room. _Where did that come from? _I thought. I saw movement in my peripheral vision, and immediately turned to see what it was.

Sam. She was sitting up! But… how? Every one of us stared in disbelief at the impossible. "Owww…," she moaned, holding her head. "That _hurt_…."

"Sam!" I cried, and ran to hug her.

She shoved me off. "Get off me!"

I grinned at her. "You're alive!"

"Samantha…,"Madara said darkly. "How are you still alive?"

She looked around the room, seeing the now empty large hands, and the head that extracted the beast. "Woah, wait…," Sam realized slowly, "I was just… extracted?"

I nodded. "We – all of us – thought you were dead! Oh, I'm so sorry we didn't come sooner, but… we couldn't find you, and…."

"That's fine, but shouldn't I… you know… be dead right now?"

"Maybe not," Itachi said from the door. "If it was never truly sealed, then maybe she'd survive."

Sam blinked. "Who else is here?"

I answered with another question. "How do you feel?"

"Like my soul got ripped out."

I hugged her again. "I'm just so glad you're alive!" She didn't resist the hug, but she didn't hug back, either. My guess was she was too tired. Sarah ran to join us in a small group hug. Back before Sam and I disappeared, Sam, Sarah and I were like the three musketeers… ish. Both of us helped her to her feet, and half led, half dragged her back to the door.

Madara finally reentered the conversation, not by speaking, but slowly clapping his gloved hands. "Congratulations. I truly didn't expect you to be alive. Neither you, nor Itachi." He made a questioning gesture. "I must at least say 'good job' for actually surviving." No one said anything. "And Itachi, I thought you were ill? Even if you _did _survive your battle with Sasuke, I'd think you'd be dead by now. Willpower, maybe? Or were you finally able to take your brother's eyes?"

"Nope," Sasuke answered, stepping forward, "or I'd be dead too."

"Oh, what a mystery."

"Everybody run on three," I whispered. "One… two… _three_!" Every one of us ran out the door, except for Anna, who was being carried. Even Sam was able, with the help of me and Sarah. We rushed through the alley, and turned the corner… and Sam was pulled back. I first I was worried, but then realized it was only Itachi. I also realized I wanted to see what was happening. I stopped, and peeked back into the alley, to see they were talking. Madara wasn't coming after us – there was no point – so they weren't in any rush.

"You are going to have to choose a world," Itachi said slowly. "The barriers between my world and yours are failing…. Samantha, don't think I didn't hear you that day in the hospital, the day you came back." Her eyes widened. What had she said? "I remember every word… I just didn't understand you at first. You woke me up from a world of pain." Sam's eyes then grew sad. "I also remember the day you left. When you said goodbye…." Sam looked down, a hint of… a blush on her face. What exactly happened when she said goodbye? "You saved my life," he continued. "And… knowing it's only a fifty-fifty chance you'll choose to stay in my world… I'm not sure this is right, but…." He closed his eyes a second, thoughts running through his head. They opened, with more finality.

Then, he leaned forward and kissed her.

It was nothing big, just a small kiss to see her reaction. It said more than words. I understood why he was hesitant. He had had a lover before, and he killed her. By kissing her, he was showing himself he really did like her, and there was a chance they'd live in separate worlds. It would hurt to lose someone he loved, again. Well, that answered my previous question, huh? Itachi _did _like her back.

Sam stared at him for a long second, then said softly, "If I had to choose between my world and yours, I'd choose yours, no second thoughts." Then she leaned forward to kiss him back. They kissed, and I waited. I decided to make my entrance in a few seconds, as I knew they'd have be there at _least_ a few seconds.

_One…, _I thought. _Two…. Three._ I walked out, a big smile on my face. "What a show!" I greeted.

They pulled back immediately, and Sam glared at me. Of course.

"Hey," I pointed out, "It's only fair. You, Sam, interrupted my first kiss with Naruto, and you, Itachi, interrupted my first kiss with Deidara. It only makes sense that I interrupt _your _first kiss."

There was a few seconds of silence, then Sam broke it saying, "You will die."

I laughed and ran off, Sam chasing behind. I dodged in between Sarah, Agatha, Itachi, Sasuke, Sierra and Anna, while Sam barged right through them. Where'd that energy come from, anyway? Minutes before, she needed _help _running! That first kiss with Itachi, perhaps? What happened next I still don't quite get. All I saw was a flash of red and darkness.

It was my turn.

* * *

I woke up with a start. I was about to nod off again, when I remembered what had happened. I jolted awake, and took in my surroundings. I was in what seemed to be a golden chair, with straps that held my wrists and legs. Right in front of me was Madara, visible eye narrowed, waiting for me to awaken. "Oh, shit," was my first reaction.

Here's a little-known fact: I used to swear. A _lot_. But, eventually, I learned to keep it in check. I sometimes swore in my head, of course, but I never dared to say anything aloud. I grew uncomfortable with the words, and soon I'd only say it in times of great pain or misfortune. Now was one of those times, and I didn't care if Madara heard it.

"It's good to see you're awake," he said in that deep voice of his. Then I realized we were still in the real world – everything was 3-D. We looked to be underground, and I thought I could hear the crashing of waves above us. We were underground, near the ocean. Great, my friends didn't know where I was. Simply wonderful.

I began struggling to break free, pulling my wrists against the tough straps. Suddenly, I felt a sharp jolt; a shock that scared the crap out of me. I sensed Madara's smile when he saw my surprise. He held up a remote, that had a single button on it. "My own creation of an electric chair; you like it?"

I scowled. "No."

"Now, I've been looking into the technology on this world, and it's very… interesting." I tightened my hands into fists. Madara was a genius. An evil genius. Technology + Evil Genius = Disaster. Disaster was bad. "I learned of guns." I tensed. I hated guns. "But I don't like them, of course. They get the job done too quickly." I sighed in relief.

He began slowly circling around the chair, continuing. "I learned a lot about you, Natalie. I intruded on Samantha's mind; I know _all _about you."

"Oh really? What's my favorite animal?"

"Cats, but that's hardly necessary."

"I'm going to _kill_ you!" Woah, that wasn't me. I craned my neck to try to look behind me, to no avail. All I could tell was that the chair I was in was part of another chair behind me. Someone else was prisoner here.

I took a guess by the sound of the voice. "Sasuke?"

"Yes," Madara answered for me. "He is supplying the electrical shock, though not willingly, of course."

"Well, you're mean," I said in a mock pout. That was the understatement of the year.

He continued to circle us. "Natalie. You and I are very much alike. When you were young, no one liked you; you remember that, right?"

An image flashed before me of a little girl – me – standing over a little boy in a gym. The little boy said nothing more than, "You're a big fat meanie." Was it a genjutsu? Nonetheless, I remembered that quite well.

"Why weren't you liked?" he asked me. I already knew the answer, but I didn't say. "You were mean right back. You had a horrible temper, and didn't know how to control it. You wanted to be liked, you just didn't have the ability."

The next image showed me grasping another boy's arm, and squeezing it, digging my nails in, drawing blood. I winced at the memory. Aha… oops. But I was a kid! What else could you expect?

"You made few friends… but at least you made them." It showed an image of my first friends. Haley, Samantha, Katie. "But each had their own problems. Harley was a liar, Samantha had a temper as well, and… Courtney seemed the nicest one. This is where we are somewhat different. One day, someone tapped your shoulder, and you immediately whipped around and scratched her in the face."

The memory was shown before me as he spoke. It was Christie. Hers was the face I had clawed. Uh… oops?

"However," Madara continued, "she chose to stay in the principal's office with you, as she was kind. From then on, you chose to harness your temper, so you could keep your friends." The images faded, and I was back in the dark room. "If those friends had not come, you would have been like me." My eyes widened in fear. What he said was probably the truth. Or not, but just thinking about it was pretty creepy. "Even now, you still hold hatred deep within, though you hide it. You hide the strength you have under happiness and silliness, much like… Tobi."

I bit my lip. I hated him when he was right. "Even now, you hate me, don't you?" he asked. I looked up. "As for you, Sasuke…," he began, but I didn't listen. All he had told me was going through my head. As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. Or was he? Meh. It felt like he was right at that moment.

If I didn't have friends like Katie, I could very well have become like him. And it was true, I hated him; I've mentioned that, right? I forgot one of my most important rules: you can't ever hate someone, only what they do. Everyone had a story. Everyone had reasons for what they did. I had forgotten that.

How stupid of me.

I thought of this for awhile, until Madara finally finished his talk with Sasuke about revenge and whatnot. I didn't even care. Sasuke was strong now, and I was stuck in my own head anyway. I didn't come out again until he mentioned my name.

"Natalie. Sasuke. Join me. I know it's in you. In fact, Sasuke, you were _meant _to be with me. Isn't that right, Natalie?" I frowned. Right again.

Regardless, I answered decidedly, "We'll never join you! No matter what you tell us, you can't convince us to join you!"

I sensed his smile again, and forced myself to force the hate down. He was human. Even if he's immortal. And insane. And wants to take over the world. And wears a freakin' lollipop mask. But whatever, you know what I mean. "Then you leave me no choice." He pressed yet another button on yet another remote, and walls rose up around us.

Then I realized something else. "Wait!" I cried. "You have to listen to me! The barriers between our worlds are weakening! We have to get back to the Naruto world before it's too late. Take this argument there! _Please! _I don't want your world to disappear!"

"She's telling the truth!" Sasuke added. "Natalie's overuse of the portal has weakened it to the point of near collapse. Now isn't the time!"

Gee, thanks for putting the blame on me, Sasuke. You're a good friend.

Our words went unheard, however. I looked closer at the walls, and found… they were covered in mirrors. I suddenly wished I wasn't looking as lights turned on and a Sharingan eye appeared in every mirror. Every single freakin' mirror. At first I wondered why he didn't just look both of us in the eye, but then realized the Moon's Eye Plan involved the reflection of his Sharingan on the moon. At least, I thought so. So then, I guessed mirrors just made the Sharingan more powerful and harder to resist.

I immediately turned on my Kawarigan, making Madara's Sharingan my own. "Sasuke!" I cried. "Be careful! It's—" Unfortunately, I found Sasuke was already under the genjutsu. "Shit," I muttered. "Chiz, schist, puffy penguin, flarp!" I tried closing my eyes, but it didn't work. It was too strong.

Then I went under.

* * *

I shifted, trying to move my arm. It jerked me to my senses when I found my wrist couldn't move. What had happened? I knew _something _important had happened… I just couldn't remember for the life of me _what_. I cracked my eyes open, trying to figure out where, exactly, I was. The light was dim, but I could make out an eternity of reflections around me. My wrists and ankles were clasped onto the golden chair I sat upon.

The clasps suddenly clicked. I looked at them again – they were loose. I pulled my hands and feet free, then rubbed them. Ow. That hadn't been comfortable. I got hesitantly to my feet, to find my legs worked fine. I got a better look at things, and saw my chair went into another chair in the back. I walked around to the other side, to find Sasuke sitting there, eyes Sharingan, and looking bored. He looked at me. We didn't have to say anything. We both knew the other was in the same situation. Neither of us remembered what happened, and we wanted out of this room of mirrors.

_The way out is in front of you. _

I didn't even stop to think about who had said that. Sasuke didn't seem to either. He stood, and we walked in front of us, hoping the voice was right. It was. A door opened when we neared the wall. Or, what we thought was the wall. It was hard to tell when all the walls were mirrors.

We stepped out, and looked around. Madara was waiting a bit to the right. As I looked at him, I noticed briefly that I didn't feel anything. I felt no hatred. No resentment. Not even fear. I vaguely realized something was wrong, but I wasn't sure what. So, I paid no mind to it, and he began to speak.

* * *

I did my best at sensing them, Itachi trying to explain how on the way. I expanded my senses as far as I could muster, Kawarigan activated, hoping with all my might that we could find Natalie and Sasuke fast. They weren't in the hideout from before, so we had nothing to go on. "Wait!" Agatha called to us. "There's a trap door here!"

My eyes flew open and I rushed over to her.

"There's a tunnel inside!" she said. "Do we go in?"

"Yes," Itachi answered.

"Is Aunt Natalie down there?" Anna sniffed.

"I don't know, but we have to try it," I replied.

"I'll go first," Itachi added, in case we came across danger.

We all crawled, one at a time, into the tunnel. It was dark, obviously, but it needed no light as it seemed to go in a generally straight direction. If it went far enough, it would reach… _Maxey Island, _I realized, and hoped this meant Natalie was there. Oh, and Sasuke.

"Anna, are you sure you wanna come along?" Sierra asked.

Anna nodded. Her eyes were still red and puffy.

Sierra pursed her lips. "Okay…."

Then we, all six of us, plunged into darkness. The tunnel seemed to last forever, but eventually I saw light. That brought hope in my eyes, as we couldn't see anything at all for awhile. It was like we were blind…. Was this what it was like for Itachi?

I wanted to run ahead of everyone, just to reach the light, but… I knew we didn't know what we'd find when we'd get there. However, when we did reach it, we found the light was dim, and the room was empty. There was a boxed structure in the center of the room, and a desk on the far right, with a few papers in a neat little pile. Next to the pile were three small remotes. Overhead, I could hear the crashing of waves. This was definitely Maxey Island.

To the far left, there was a tunnel, but with stairs that led upward. "Over there!" I indicated, pointing to the stairwell. We all ran up the stairs, and came to a wooden door. I opened it, and squinted at the bright light that met my eyes. When they adjusted, I found we were on the other side of the island, facing the shore that faced the land ahead. Natalie's vacation house was on the other side, past a small expanse of the forest that was here.

What I really noticed, though, were the three people walking slowly along the shore. It was them. "Natalie!" I called, not caring Madara would hear me. "Sasuke!" They turned… but my smile faded. They showed no relief that we had found them, no happiness at seeing us. The one thing that threw me, though, was their eyes. Both had the Sharingan.

* * *

"Natalie!" I stopped walking. I recognized that voice… it was incredibly familiar to me. "Sasuke!" All three of us turned, and I saw….

_Sam. _Yes, she was familiar alright. The thing I at first truly didn't understand was the anger that immediately rose up when I saw her. _Did we fight?_ I wondered. _Is that what happened that I don't remember? But… we're best friends, I thought…. Why would I…? _Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sasuke frown in frustration; confusion. I joined him. I just didn't get it. And when I saw Itachi, I felt anger as well. Hatred. That's what it was. _I… hate them? Why? I thought I had saved both their lives…._ Not only them, either. Everyone who came out that door, even my two nieces. _They're my nieces, right? If they are, then why do I want to kill them?_

"Don't bother," Madara said. "There is no point in attempting to save them. They've joined me."

_We did? Is _that _what I can't remember?_

Madara threw each of us a kunai, and I took it gladly. I wanted to fight them…. Sasuke stared at it, still trying to figure things out. I was confused as well, but I tried to pay no mind to it. Besides, what could possibly have happened? Then again, that was exactly what I wanted to know. Okay, I loved to confuse people, but I hated being the one confused. How hypocritical. Oh, well.

It was then I decided to try and think. To figure things out. What had happened that was so important? Wasn't Madara supposed to be an enemy? Weren't Sam and the others friends? What was going on?

"You're wrong!" Sam yelled back. "They wouldn't join you in a million years, even if you can actually live that long! For Pete's sake, how old _are _you?"

"That, Samantha, is none of your concern."

"Stop calling me Samantha!"

"I can call you what I wish to call you."

Sam shook her head. "Either way, I know you're lying!"

"She's right," Itachi said. "Both Natalie and Sasuke are under a genjutsu."

I blinked in surprise. Was that it? Was that what had happened? Were we truly in an illusion? Was it all a trick? Was Madara literally playing with our emotions? How'd he manage that? I didn't remember…. Oh.

I put my hand to my head; this was giving me a headache. My brain didn't want me to think about how this was all a trick. That my emotions were fake right now. Well, not fake, but… controlled. Sasuke fell to his knees, holding his head, and Madara smiled beneath the mask. How did I know he smiled? Lucky guess? No. I could feel his satisfaction. Was I supposed to be satisfied? I didn't even know anymore.

"Yes. It's _amazing _you figured that out," Madara said with sarcasm. "This is a special test of mine… and I wanted to see if it worked. Of course, I seem to need to work on it…."

"A _test_?" Sam asked angrily. "How _dare _you test on my friends? You're as bad as Orochimaru!"

"Oh, no…. I wouldn't say that," Madara replied. "Orochimaru's experiments were put through much more… pain."

So then it was true…. I clenched my hand into a fist, causing me to claw my face. Ow. Then the memory hit me like a wave, and I fell to my knees as well. Madara's convincing speech. The room of mirrors. The Sharingan. It all made sense now. "Sam!" I screamed, suddenly regaining the ability to think properly. I was still mad. Not at her, but at myself. How could I be so stupid?

However, it was too late. Madara had sucked us in, back to the original hideout. Before we could react, Madara immediately flipped out a key, unlocking a cell. He easily locked Sasuke up, then grabbed me by the arm. I knew he wasn't going to let go. My thoughts truly began to clear now. He fumbled with the keys in his one free hand. "Damn it Zetsu," he muttered. "You gave me the wrong key again."

Suddenly realizing I had a free arm, I quickly pried his fingers off my arm and ran like hell, yelling as I ran past, "Sasuke, I'll be back!"

* * *

Okay, I find this chapter stupid and pretty much pointless. I'm serious. I don't see the point of that so-called 'test' Madara did. I don't even know why I wrote it in the first place. Ah, oh well. Too late now. So... uh... I apologize for this chapter's stupid-ness. Thank you.


	16. Chapter 15

I watched Natalie run away. There was no point in running after her. I knew that. I didn't want to catch her anyway. Sam, Itachi, and the others would be here soon, and, because I didn't know this world, it would take a while before I'd be able to find a new hideout. Besides, I didn't have the key for the cell I'd put her in. I could put her in the secluded cell where I had put Sam, but I didn't want to cut her off from Sasuke. Why? I didn't know. I didn't care. I was going back to my own world.

I carefully set the key to Sasuke's cell on the floor, where I was sure Natalie's group would see it. Then, I transported myself away, right before they burst through the door.

* * *

I found Sam and the others just around the corner from the alley. I quickly explained how Madara was in the hideout from before, and how I had escaped with surprising ease. Then I went on to say that Sasuke was still in his cell…. An idea popped in my head.

When we got back to the modern hideout, it was abandoned. Except, of course, for Sasuke, who lay in his cell, still confused and disoriented. Perfect for my plan. The key to his cell was conveniently left on the floor – Madara must have dropped it. Good. I immediately picked up the key, unlocked the cell, and opened it. Sasuke didn't respond. Even better. I thought for sure he was half-asleep. What, did Madara drug him? Jeez.

"Oh no!" I squeaked. "Sasuke must still be under the genjutsu!" I knew for a fact that he wasn't, however. "Oh, Sam! The only thing that will bring him back is to give a kiss from his true love!" I cried dramatically.

Sam gave me a skeptical look. "You're kidding me, right?" I shook my head vigorously, though I really was kidding her. I just wanted to know if she'd fall for it. She frowned. "Sakura isn't here." I slowly shook my head, and it dawned on her. "Oh _come on_! You've _gotta _be kidding! No! There's no way in _hell _I'm kissing him! No! No way!"

I grin slowly spread itself across my face. "Well, we're not leaving him here, are we?"

She narrowed her eyes at me. "You swear you're not lying?"

"Would I lie?"

"Yes."

"…Bad question."

She huffed, and stepped forward. Anna ran forward just as she knelt down beside him. "Is Sam gonna kiss Sasuke? I wanna see! I wanna see!" she squealed. Sam glared at her, then at me, then awkwardly leaned forward to kiss him. I suppressed a laugh. She'd kill me when she found I really was lying. Ha.

When their lips made contact, Sasuke's eyes immediately flew open. Realizing what I'd done, Sarah, Agatha, and Sierra hid snickers. Sam's eyes were squeezed shut in disgust, so there was no way for her to know Sasuke's eyes were open. After staring at Sam a few seconds, he glanced around the cell. I grinned, and winked, mouthing, "You're welcome."

Sam was just waiting for me to tell her he was fine, so she didn't move, probably pretending in her head it was Itachi, or wishing it would just be over. A second more, and Sasuke was getting uncomfortable. I couldn't help it. I laughed. Hard. I couldn't stop. I fell to my knees I laughed so hard. Sarah laughed too. Anna giggled, thinking it was just funny they kissed. Agatha and Sierra laughed as well, but not nearly as much as I did. Itachi didn't laugh at all. Go figure.

Sam immediately retreated, and looked at me. Sasuke, once she moved, sat up as quick as possible, eyes wide, breathing hard. He looked at me. "Natalie…," he growled.

Sam frowned, glancing from Sasuke to me, me to Sasuke. I gave an innocent smile. "Oops, I guess he was fine," I said sweetly, giving a shrug.

Her face scrunched up in anger – she wanted to throw something at me. That something happened to be Sasuke. "Woah, what the hell?" I cried when I was crushed by a Sasuke that was hurtling toward me. "_Get him off! Get him off!_" I cried, though my pleas were muffled. I shoved him off me, and ran. In circles. "Ahhh! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Don't hurt me!"

Once Sam was done being furious, I was able to introduce everyone to Anna. We hadn't been able to do that yet, had we? "Anna," I said, "you know Sam, right?" she nodded. "This is Agatha, and Sarah, and Sasuke, and Itachi…."

Her mouth dropped open when she saw Itachi. "You are sooo—" she clamped her mouth shut, not finishing the sentence. Itachi and I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, and Anna…," I said, not quite sure what to say. "Sierra and I will be going to the Naruto world. And… we won't be coming back."

Her expression brightened. "Can I come?"

I shook my head and put my hands on her shoulders. "No…. Anna, you saw what people like Madara can do. He nearly killed Sam, and managed to kidnap me. We can't let you come…. We don't want you to get hurt. But… you can say good bye the day we leave, right?"

Her smile faded, and tears brimmed in her eyes. "Aunt Natalie… I wanna come with you…. I don't want you to go missing again. And I don't want my big sister to leave me too…." Then she cried, and I tried to comfort her all the way home.

* * *

"So… why'd you call this meeting?" my dad asked me. I had asked both him and my mom to come here today, as a meeting. It was in the living room in my mom's house.

I took a deep breath. "I was missing for two years…," I began. "I want to tell you what happened while I was gone."

I began my tale of waking up in the Naruto world, being kidnapped by Deidara, nearly dying, having the beast in me, meeting "Maxey," being Naomi, being nearly marked by Orochimaru, being forced to be a part of Akatsuki, making Deidara a good guy, saving Itachi and Sasuke, saving Hidan, making Pain a good guy, meeting "Sophia," figuring out a way home, and, finally, getting home at last. I then went on to explain how Sam and I thought we weren't able to go back, about finding Naruto and Gaara…. I waited silently for their reaction when I finished.

"Is that the truth?" Dad asked me.

"I have proof…. Ashlie, bring them down." Ashlie was standing behind me the whole time. She ran up the stairs… and came back with Itachi and Sasuke. Both my mom and my dad recognized them.

My mom always loved anime – she just thought Naruto was annoying with that big mouth of his. However, she still recognized them. Dad and I used to watch the original Naruto series together, so he recognized both of them instantly. Dad just stared, while Mom had her mouth slightly open.

"So yes, Dad. It is the truth." I paused. "And… there's a catch." I explained about the collapsing barriers between our worlds. "So… I have to choose a world to call my home. The thing is… I didn't choose this world." They stared at me. "I feel like I belong there," I continued, "and there's… a person there…. And I don't want to part with him." Ha, thinking back, I realized that Sasuke, Itachi, and Ashlie were still standing right there. Right. There.

I saw tears in both their eyes. "No," my mom said, voice cracking. "No, Natalie, don't go. _Please _don't go, Natalie! _Please_!" She slid off the couch to her knees. "Don't leave us! Don't – _please!_" She began to sob. I hated to do this to her. I was very indecisive – she might have just changed my mind.

Dad closed his eyes, and put his hand on her shoulder. "Let her go." Mom stopped sobbing, but tears continued streaming down her cheeks. "Our little girl is growing up." He looked at me. "…But we're staying in contact."

* * *

Everyone was there. Everyone. It was our last gathering. There was, of course, me, Sam, Sarah, Sierra, Mackenzie, Haruka, Agatha, Ashlie, Apple, and Brittany. There was also my mom and dad, Anna, my brother and his wife, Apple's mom, and Nadia. I gave my brother and his wife a hug, then Nadia. I looked at Anna, and hugged her tight.

"I'm sorry, Anna," I whispered in her ear. "Just know it was for the best."

Then I gave both my mom and my dad a big hug, tears immediately springing to my eyes. This was truly our last goodbye. This was the last time I'd ever see them. The last time I'd ever hear their voice. Even if we did keep in touch, there was no way to ever actually see them. To feel their warm embrace. Mom was sobbing again.

The sky was dark with clouds. How cliché. "You better keep in touch!" my mom warned me with worried eyes.

I forced a smile. "Don't worry, Mom. I promise."

She answered with a sniff.

I gave a sad smile. "Love you, miss you, kiss you, bye," I told them softly.

They smiled. "Love you, miss you, kiss you, bye," they answered in sync.

"_Goodbye, world,_" I murmured. I had tried so hard to get here. Home, I had called it. Now, I knew better. I knew where home was. It was in the Naruto world, where I now knew I belonged. Then, I called with finality, "Goodbye, everyone! This is it!" I began to cry myself. The wind of an oncoming storm blew by, sending a chill down my spine. It was still February. I opened the portal the last time….

"You think this is it?" I heard from above.

I looked up. Everyone did. There was Madara, standing on top of the cliff. Great. "Madara!" I called. "You need to get to the Naruto world now! The barriers are collapsing! We can't use the portal anymore after this!"

"I'm not letting you go anywhere," he said darkly.

"Everyone, get in the portal, _now_!" I yelled as he came forward. "Goodbye!" I closed the portal behind me immediately….

We were all in the clearing, safe and sound, the sun shining brightly. I looked behind me to see… a hand. Reaching. It fell to the ground, falling limp. I recognized the hand. It was Madara's hand. I had trapped him in the warp. He was stuck there forevermore.

Double win.

We all looked at one another, and laughed. (Well, except for Sasuke and Itachi. They just smiled a little.) It was over. No more traveling through the portal. We were settling down for good. And, now, there was no Madara to bother us. Maybe even the World War would be called off. What luck! I nearly _cried_, I was so happy. The next challenge was simply to teach the others to be ninja. Life seemed pretty good right then.

Maybe our story had a happily ever after after all.

* * *

It's hard to collect your thoughts in what was supposedly called the "warp." I felt disembodied, so I didn't even know I was missing a hand. I didn't feel much. I felt… fluid. However, I didn't let the warp control me. I didn't let my mind drift, as my body seemed to be doing. Oh, no…. My anger seemed the only solid thing in this fluid space. I stayed focused on my goal….

I, Madara Uchiha, was going to make it out of here, and I would come back with a vengeance.

* * *

OH BOY! That's the end of Epic Part 1! The rest... is in the Naruto world. Ain't that awesome? I bet it is. Although, my writing skill seems to be deteriorating instead of getting better. -.- Meh. *sigh* Oh well... I guess there's only one thing you readers can do: bear with me. Please.


	17. Chapter 16

Sorry I couldn't reply to your awesome reviews. My e-mail was mean to me and wouldn't let me. Sooo:

**DarkAkatsukiNeko**: Kisame's HERE! TA-DA!

**Silver 1412**: Thank's for expressing your excitement! :D

**LatyfeSurLeSora**: They may not seem to deteriorate at this point in the story... but... my writing gets worse later on. -.- (Meaning, the plot line gets really horrible.) But after that, it actually gets better so YAY! And thank you, very very much.

**Britt3899**: YES! HOORAY FOR AWESOME-NESS! WHOO!

Alright, thank you and enjoy the story.

* * *

Epic Part 2: Permanent Vacation

_Hey Mom! Hey Dad! See, Mom? I promised. I'm still keeping in touch – for the entire past two weeks. You have it lucky, though – you can see what I'm doing, while I have no idea how your lives are going…. How's life? Are you coping well, Mom?_

_~Natalie_

I placed the note in a small portal, too small for anything other than this note to fit through. A moment later, a note came back. Don't ask me how it worked. I was surprised my parents were even able to send anything back. As for the time, the times in our worlds were different, so they could have taken an hour to write that letter for all I knew.

_Hey Natalie!_

_Your mother is still having it hard… but I'm trying my best to help her through. Life seems to be going OK, and the news is still focused on your search. They're wondering how you, Sam, __and __your friends had seemed to disappear off the face of the earth. I miss you, My Natalie._

_Love you, miss you, kiss you – bye!_

_Dad_

I smiled. Poor mom. That she would beg me to stay… it let me know how much they cared for me. It felt nice. However, knowing I was hurting them hurt me. It was too late to change my mind now, though. There was no turning back. I sent back,

_Oh, Dad…. I miss both of you, and I hope you know that. Please tell Mom I'm sorry for leaving you; both of you._

_Love you, miss you, kiss you, bye!_

_Love, Natalie_

What I got back, however, wasn't my dad's handwriting. It seemed to be scrawling and messy, as though written by a three-year-old. Not only that, but it was in Japanese. Oh, another thing: it was written in blood. I didn't even flinch. It was difficult to read it, but I managed.

_I am here, Natalie._

It wasn't signed, but I knew full well who it was. Madara was still alive. I wasn't worried, though. He couldn't get out anyway, even if he was alive. I decided not to answer the note, and began walking back to the Leaf. Today, Kakashi, Sam, and I were to decide who would be training who. Apple was already in the Sand village – we had all escorted her there. Apple had both fire and earth nature, like me, so she had to try to train herself since there wasn't any fire or earth style ninja in the Sand.

At noon, we all gathered at the training field. "What a group," Kakashi commented.

I smiled. "Britt, you're first."

"Yes!" she cheered, pumping her fist into the air.

I handed her the piece of paper. "Now, flow you chakra int—"

"I know."

I shrugged, and watched as the paper wrinkled, then immediately crumbled away. I looked to Kakashi for help. "What does that mean?"

He thought for a second. This was obviously unusual. "It seems she's lightning _and _earth."

She grinned. "Awesome! I got two!"

Kakashi cleared his throat. "You will be training with me, since I have both traits as well."

"Ashlie!" I called.

She smiled, stepping forward. She was handed the paper. Hers grew damp, then crumbled as well.

"…Water and earth?" I guessed, looking to Kakashi again.

He nodded. "Looks like you'll be with me too."

"Agatha!"

Hers split in half, then dampened.

Wind and water, also with Kakashi.

Kakashi scratched the back of his head. "Okay, how about everyone who has a double nature trains with me?"

Haruka. Hers wrinkled, then dampened – water and lightning, training with Kakashi.

"I'll get a double nature – watch me," Mackenzie said when I called her.

"I sure hope not…," Kakashi muttered under his breath. He was slightly afraid of her now that he knew she was obsessed with him. Ha. A ninja, afraid of a fangirl. Oh yes, we could be _vicious_.

Her paper split in half. She was wind, that's all. Fortunately for her, she'd be training alongside Naruto, which was also with Kakashi. Not so fortunate for Kakashi.

Sarah was next. Hers wrinkled – lightning. Her trainer: Sasuke.

Sierra. Hers grew damp – water. Her trainer: Suigetsu. (She squeaked when she found out.)

In the end, I smiled wide. That was it. Now they could train, and I left them to do so. Sam and I had something to do. We were going to have a nice, long battle – to see who was the best fighter. Fun, right?

* * *

I honestly couldn't believe my trainer would be Suigetsu. I understood I was water; having Suigetsu as a trainer just made becoming a ninja all the more awesome. I was glad Natalie had showed me this world. She, in a few words, was the most awesome aunt ever. In history. I'd miss Anna for sure… she was my little sister! But I understood why she couldn't have come. This world, although awesome, had many dangers.

I was glad Madara was no longer one of those dangers.

I stared at my reflection in the river. It was weird…. It wasn't me. This was an anime girl with straight black hair, not a three-dimensional girl with brown hair. My likeness to my aunt had nearly disappeared. However, I still saw we had the same facial features, and I knew we were still alike in personality.

At least, it used to be. Natalie had changed so much while she was missing. She was a shinobi now. It was hard to believe that. Soon I would be a shinobi. It was even harder to believe that. …Or was it kunoichi? Eh, whatever.

Suigetsu had to go ask Sasuke some advice on training someone – I had forced him to go. I wanted some time alone, to think. I had made a big choice. I'd never go home again. If I was afraid, I didn't have my dad to go to. If I wanted the comfort of home, I'd have a whole new home to go to. If I missed my bed, I'd have a new bed to go to. If I decided I didn't like this world, then tough luck for me. There was no going back.

I snapped from my thoughts when my head was shoved into the water. It scared me, too. I gasped, which made me breathe water into my lungs. I breathed out, straining not to cough, then tried holding my breath. I kicked whoever was holding my head underwater. My foot made contact, and I shoved myself into the water, popping up again as soon as possible. I gasped the much-needed air, coughing and sputtering from the inhale of water.

I looked at the attacker, searching where I had kicked him. I had kicked him… oh. I kicked him _there_. Oh, jeez. Oops. Poor guy. Then again, he tried to drown me.

But who _was _this guy? I didn't really recognize him. He wore all black, and had cheekbone-length black hair. There were bags under his eyes, and a slight crease on either side of his mouth – laugh lines, right? He stood. "Sierra… correct?" he said in a very low voice. I didn't answer. How did he know my name? I noticed he had a hand missing, but that didn't help me to figure out who he was. His mouth curled upward into a smile, eyes widening, giving him a somewhat insane look. "What? Don't recognize me? It must be difficult. Isn't it, Sierra? You only heard my voice once, didn't you?" He closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Maybe this will jog your memory?" He cleared his throat. "Don't believe your aunt yet, _Annalisa_? Or, Sierra, would you rather hear me on another note, hmmm? _Tobi's a good boy! He is sorry!_"

I gasped. It was Madara. He was out of the warp. How? I thought he had been trapped there! "T-tobi?" I stuttered.

"Yes," he smiled, satisfied at my knowledge of who he was, and my fear of finding out. "You may call me that if you wish." Suddenly he appeared before me, standing atop the water, leaning down to be at eye level with me. His smirk was now a grin as he said softly, "Tell my dear friend Natalie that I'm back." Then, he began to disappear, seemingly blowing away with the wind.

* * *

"What's wrong, Sam?" I taunted as our kunai pressed against one another, clinking lightly. "Can't you beat me?"

She frowned. "And this is coming from someone who's doing just as bad."

I laughed. "We're evenly matched, aren't we?"

We jumped apart, then stopped altogether when someone called, "Natalie!"

I relaxed, then turned to see Sierra running into the clearing. "What is it, Sierra?" I asked. I tried to stay calm. I saw the urgency, the fear in her expression.

"Madara," she gasped. "He's here. He's out of the portal thing! He… he broke out…."

I grinned, which was probably one of the weirdest things to do in this situation. I had already figured he'd escape. He was the almighty Madara Uchiha. Plus, his specialty was traveling through time and space. It was only a matter of time before he got out. Because I had anticipated this, I had a nice, amusing plan. "Dear Maddie? Oh, he's my _best _enemy! We must give him a nice, warm _welcome_." My eyes narrowed, transforming my happy smile into an evil grin.

We were throwing a party.

* * *

Everyone would be going. Me, Deidara, Sam, Itachi, Sasuke, Sarah, Hidan, Sierra, Suigetsu, Mackenzie, Kakashi, Agatha, Shikamaru, Haruka, Neji, Ashlie, Apple, Temari, and Brittany. Actually, even Pain and Konan would be coming. This really would be a party. And where would the party be held? Right in the Akatsuki's hideout.

This was gonna be fun.

Shikamaru and Kakashi were going to help figure out how to get in, long before any of the Akatsuki were up, hopefully. Assuming they all went to sleep. It was likely Zetsu would be up and watching any who entered, but that was okay. We'd stay hidden, and mask our chakra. All we needed was to get in, and be inside when everyone woke up. It would be a surprise party. My goal: to annoy the hell out of them.

The only problem here was the danger we could be in. They might think we were a threat. Or they could just attack because they wanted to. Either way, no matter what, we would only attack in self-defense. We didn't want to fight. We wanted to have fun. We wanted to annoy them. We wanted a party.

We would get one.

The hideout where this would take place was the one where they happened to reside during the Fourth Great Shinobi World War. We hid in the woods, and tried to figure a way in. It was still before dawn, so it was dark. However, I saw a figure leaning against the wall of the entrance. Kisame.

An idea instantly came forward in my mind, though there was a pretty good chance it wouldn't work. "Got any ideas?" I whispered. No answer. "Then I'll be back." Without another word, I ran forward.

"Who's there?" Kisame growled when I was a few yards away.

I stepped in the open. "Just me, Kisame."

His hand gripped his sword. "_Just _you?"

I gave him an innocent smile. "Remember what I told you last time?" He didn't respond, though his grip on the hilt of his sword tightened. Gee, how could I tell? It was nearly pitch black out! "Well, anyway, me and a few friends want to throw our dear friend Madara a welcome back party. It's a surprise – could you let us in?"

He pointed his sword at me, smirking. "You're an idiot."

I ran up to him, jumping over Samehada when he swung it, and whispered in his ear our glorious plan.

He didn't swing his sword again. He grinned and shook his head. "You're a weird bunch, aren't ya?"

We were in.

* * *

Teehee, I'm looking _forward _to a _party_! Oh boy! That'll be _fun_...


	18. Chapter 17

Hooray! Double update! Why, you ask? Well, an AMAZING thing has happened! I've finished writing Twisted Vacation!

...Although I didn't want it to end...

Oh, well. Enjoy it while it lasts! :D

* * *

I laughed, running down a bleak, grey hallway, chasing after a paper butterfly that Konan had made. I passed another hallway, and, in the doorway, there was a Madara holding a… what was that? Coffee? Tea, maybe? Whatever. He didn't even do anything. He just stood there and watched me pass. "Welcome back!" I called happily, spinning full circle before rejoining the butterfly chase.

I laughed again when I realized how silly it seemed that he was drinking tea… but had his mask on. Hehe. What, would he pour it through his eye hole?

Anyway, the hall opened up soon, and I skidded to a halt. In the room was Sam… who was dancing, chanting "Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke!" Then she started rapping the song King of Sharingan, by Eddie Rath. It was hilarious. Then she fell to the floor. Laughing hysterically. And crying. And holding a chocolate bar in her hand. Where the hell did she get the chocolate bar?

Oh… crap.

She had a chocolate bar.

It was already half gone.

Crap.

Itachi, Sasuke, Sarah, Hidan, Brittany, Sierra, Ashlie, and Kisame were also in the room, staring at her. Kisame kicked her, seeing if she'd react. She did – her arm started spazzing. "_MY ARM'S HAVIN' A SEIZURE!" _she screeched.

Madara came down the hall we came down then, which I was facing, his tea of doom no longer in hand. "What the hell is going on?' he asked slowly, calmly.

"It's a party!" I exclaimed. "For _you_! Surprise! Welcome back!" Sam jumped up and glomped him, holding him in a death hug.

"Get off," he said darkly, giving her warning before he did… something. In reply she kneed him… _there_. He reacted as any man would. He wasn't expecting that, now, was he?

Everyone laughed, while Sam pumped a fist in the air, crying in triumph, "Yay! Score for me for killing an insane maniac's family jewels!"

He threw her into the wall. Nice. "You and Sierra both…," he muttered.

Sam spazzed, flailing her arms and squawking like some bird, swearing up a storm. I frowned, and covered Sierra's ears. She frowned, and pushed my hands off her ears. Sarah, Brittany, and Hidan continued laughing.

Kabuto rounded the corner to my right, looking rushed. "Madara, there are…. Oh."

"You came a bit late," I grinned.

Sam whipped to look at him, no longer swearing, and glomped him, squealing "_FRENCH TOOOAAAST!"_

He stumbled backwards, but didn't fall. "What is a French?"

"_You're a French!" _she answered, and licked his hand. "_Oh my God he TASTES like French Toast, TOOO!"_ I couldn't help but laugh at Kabuto's face. Sam squealed in his face, then ran in circles, pointing and yelling, "_He's made of toast! He's made of toast!"_

The rest of the supposed party went pretty much the same. They didn't do much to stop us, either. Although, Madara had said, "Let them have their fun… it won't last much longer." With that ominous statement in mind, we still had a good party. I never thought I'd have a party in the Akatsuki hideout. Sure, I had a weird dream about it once, but that was before I even believed I'd ever go to the Naruto world! Besides, that dream included a slide made of pudding that collapsed while Sarah was on it and Sasori and Kakuzu, who were both dead.

When it came to the end of the day, we began to leave. Pain had called the signal, and we all bolted for the door. Every one of us. I guess that was a bad plan on my part, 'cause we got stuck. Well, not completely _stuck, _but it took awhile to get through. Sam had passed out, so someone (ahem, _Itachi_) had to carry her back. I wasn't able to witness that, however, as I was pulled back into the hideout at the last second.

"Don't worry guys!" I called. "Go without me, I have a plan!" With a big smile, whoever grabbed hold of me slammed the door. The door, by the way, skimmed my nose. It nearly scared me.

Nearly.

But, anyway, I was held captive by these whackos. Again. Swell. But I wasn't scared, or defeated. I was telling the truth. I had, in fact, already anticipated this happening. I had a plan. It was a plan that may or may not work, but it was still a plan. A pretty good plan, at that. …Well, not really, but it was a plan. That was good enough, as long as it got me out. So, all in all, my day had started with a wonderful party, and ended in a cell, being watched by a too-tall shark-man.

That would be Kisame.

Actually, I was thrilled that he was the one watching me while I was in my cell. He was weakening in my influence. I knew I was beginning to get through to him. When it was dark through the miniature window and I thought for sure I had been there for hours, I started a conversation.

"So will he keep that promise?" I asked innocently. He didn't answer. "…Don't tell me you fell asleep."

"I'm awake," he growled.

I leaned back onto the stone wall. I was sitting, and, frankly, it still felt good to relax, even if I was in a cell. "I think you're taking a liking to me."

"Oh, really? What could possibly make you think that?"

"You let us in." He didn't respond. "So…," I said eventually. "How about that party? Did you enjoy it?"

"I must admit there were amusing moments."

I smiled. "Like Sam. Good ol' Sam and her chocolate drunkenness. Gotta love it."

He snickered. "Yeah. Like Sam."

"Ya know, I kinda feel sorry for you."

He turned to me. "And why is that?"

"The whole losing your place in your village… the fact that you've been influenced by Madara…. It's sad, in my eyes. If you had been put on the right path, we might have been friends."

His eyes narrowed. "I _am _on the right path. The path of truth."

"Is it? Is it the path of truth? If Madara says he'll create the illusion of a perfect world, it's not much of a world of truth. It seems more like a world of lies, with Madara controlling it all."

"It _is _a world of truth!" he snapped.

I shook my head. "Somewhere to belong," I said softly. "That's what you want, right? Somewhere you belong?" He didn't respond. "I believe a place to belong is a place where the people around you care. Where you're friends are. Tell me this: does Madara care?"

"He does. Of course he does. I would be a loss to this organization if I were to die."

"But that's it!" I cried. "That's the only reason he cares at all! You help him reach his goal. That's it. The only way he thinks of you is as a tool, nothing more. That's it. That's all you are here: a tool. Not a person, a human being. But you _are _one. That's why I'm trying to get through to you."

He didn't respond.

I waited. I sat there, and relaxed, waiting to see what he would say. "People care in the Leaf Village," I offered in a soft whisper.

"I am horrible. I killed my teammates. I will not be accepted."

"No, no, no. Look, Kisame. Look at me." He hesitantly turned. "You are human. We all make mistakes. But you killed them for a reason. You were simply being loyal to your village. There's nothing wrong with being loyal. Itachi. He killed his entire family for his village. It wasn't just his teammates. I killed a friend before. Me and Itachi – we were both accepted by the Leaf. Why shouldn't you?"

His mouth opened. It closed, not saying anything. He turned away to look ahead again. Then, "…_Itachi_ was accepted into the Leaf?"

I nodded. "Yes. Even after all they had done, they listened to his side of the story and accepted him. They also accepted Sasuke. They accepted Deidara, and even Hidan. Well… not so much Hidan, but that's because he doesn't want it. I'm working on it, though!"

We were both silent for a long moment. "…Do you really think I belong there?"

"Yes… but only if you take the chance."

There was another long moment of silence. I don't know how long I sat there, waiting for something. I didn't know what. Just… something. What broke the silence was not a voice. Rather, it was the jingle of metal clinking against metal. Slowly but decisively, Kisame unlocked my cell door, and opened it.

I hesitantly stood, and smiled. He gave a half-hearted smile in return. "Lead the way."

We ran for the door, which Kisame had the keys for. He swiftly unlocked it, swung open the door, and looked into the eyes of Yoshiaki. A fight quickly ensued.

* * *

I heard a crash come from outside the hideout. I looked in that general direction, but wasn't bothered by it. I knew what it was. Natalie had escaped, and was now fighting both Kisame and Yoshiaki. Tough luck for her. I looked back to Madara, still asleep.

He hadn't recovered from being secluded in limbo for so long. It really wasn't all that long – around two weeks – but it was that long of not being solid. He had no food, no water, no rest, and no oxygen. He was definitely drained. However, being in there that long also strengthened him. I wasn't sure how, but his body had adapted to those surroundings, and fed off its power.

He was recovering quickly, and it was up to me to make sure he recovered fully and correctly. If I was able to keep Lord Orochimaru alive for that long, I think I'd do fine with this. What I was wondering about was the plan he'd mentioned earlier. I looked to the ceiling and smirked. _Oh well. I'll find out soon enough…._

* * *

I knew Yoshiaki's weakness now. It was his head, as Agatha's thoughts had mentioned. Agatha's thoughts… were they what she called Muse? Was it one of those instances where it seemed as though there was another voice in your head? That happened to Sam before. She had a voice whose name was Jimmy. He wasn't a very nice voice.

I had to stick to reality right now, though. Even if Yoshiaki already had both arms missing (Kisame chopped them off) he didn't seem too affected. He simply controlled his sword with his mouth. Don't ask how. I didn't see how he pulled it off, as using a sword with your mouth was completely off-balance, thus not being possible. But Yoshiaki seemed to be doing just fine. At least he couldn't swallow it.

Kisame explained to me as we fought that Yoshiaki really couldn't feel pain. He just… couldn't. He had no feelings whatsoever. No pain, happiness, regret, despair, nothing. Nothing at all. It was… inhuman. I know Itachi was known as the emotionless one in the Akatsuki, but even he had feelings. So did Sasuke. And Sai. And everyone who seemed "emotionless." They were just hiding their feelings, or repressing them. But Yoshiaki… he really _didn't _have emotions. He had nothing at all. That was a creepy thought.

Eventually Yoshiaki found himself with no legs as well. Kisame apparently liked chopping off limbs. Yuck. I grabbed the hilt of his blood-red sword, and held it against his chest. He was lying on the ground, so he couldn't much protect himself. I raised the sword slightly, then shoved it down. I wasn't much skilled with a sword, so I missed his heart. But, I still got right below the heart. He would die.

He gasped, then sputtered out blood. His eyes were wild with agony. He _finally_ felt pain. Images began flashing through my head – his memories, no doubt. It was Yoshiaki… on a testing bed, with Orochimaru standing over him. Yoshi was crying. He was screaming at him not to do this, that he'd stop. Stop what, I didn't know. Everything went dark again, and I realized I was looking at a now relaxed Yoshiaki.

He looked to me with calm eyes and rasped, "Thanks, buddy. You saved my soul." With a smile, his eyes closed and he was gone.

So… he had feelings. But they were under some experiment from Orochimaru, so he didn't have the ability to feel them. By killing him, I saved him. Strange… but nice. I smiled back, despite the fact he was already long gone. "You're welcome," I whispered.

I turned to Kisame, all business. "Let's go."

* * *

It was a strange setting. I was sitting under a rock that was held up by other rocks. All around me was grassy plain. A song began – I didn't know the name of it – and it began to rain. It wasn't normal rain, though. It was raining… people. Guys. _"It's rainin' men! Hallelujah!" _the song sang. Freaked out, I screamed, got up, and started beating the guys with a stick.

I woke up to find I was in a hospital room. I had a horrible headache, and felt kind of sick…. _Chocolate Hangover. _The party was the day before! And I had had chocolate…. "You awake?"

I looked at the voice, to find Natalie leaning against the far wall. "I wish I wasn't," I grumbled.

"So will you tell me how you got back?" I turned to see Itachi sitting in a chair beside me.

"Whoa, when did you get here?" I asked, holding my head.

He smiled lightly. "I've been here awhile. However, Natalie was captured right before we left the hideout." He looked to her. So did I. She was captured? I must have been out by then. I didn't remember anything past running down the hall…. Whatever. Whatever I did, I just hoped it wasn't too embarrassing. There was another thing I noticed, that I didn't see before.

Kisame?

"_Oh my God why is Kisame here-!_" I stopped, and squeezed my head to try and stop the pounding. "Ah…. My head… hurts."

Itachi gave me water. It tasted good. Especially considering water didn't exactly taste like anything. Whatever. It was nice. "Well," Natalie began, and I looked at her. "They put me in a cell…."

* * *

YAY Kisame is on our side now! HAPPY FACE.

AND IT'S RAINING MEN! HALLELUJAH!

Tee hee.


	19. Chapter 18

Hooray! Another chapter! And, since my computer is still stupid, I can't reply to your awesomely awesome reviews. So, I'll write them here, I guess! :D

**Britt3899**: Yeah... I didn't want the story to end either... :c

**LatyfeSurLeSora**: Yes, it DOES make sense! Yay for Kisame!

**Silver 1412**: HOORAY FOR HYPER-NESS! YAY! HAPPY FACE!

So, uh, there ya go! ^^ Enjoy!

* * *

Miki had to train all of the Riaru, except for me. They were quickly changing into someone else, and he needed to teach them how to keep themselves in check. Agatha argued that she was like Shikamaru to begin with, but I pointed out that it was more than that. Soon, they'd look like them, act like them, and even start losing themselves. Miki's goal was to teach them, as Mamoru had Tama, how to be themselves.

His task was tough.

Apple even came back from the Sand for a while, to learn this. She didn't much want to look like Gaara. As much as she liked him, she didn't want to _be _like him. I understood perfectly. How weird would it be if I started turning into Deidara? Sam was already turning into Itachi, and it was already freaking me out. Sometimes they'd do things at the same time, and it always threw me.

The reason _I_ didn't need this training was simple: I still had the beast that kept me whole, or solid, or however you may describe it. Nekomata was preventing me from turning into the person I was around most. I guess that was a good thing, but it was also bad. If I _were_ extracted, and we now knew I wouldn't die from that, I'd most likely immediately change into that person. Sam didn't change right away because she was in the real world. Or at least, that was the theory.

Because of this, I still paid attention to the training, as I may need it sooner or later. I didn't much like having a beast in me. I'd have gladly given it away, if not for the fact that giving it away meant getting Madara one step closer to ruling the world. That would be bad, now, wouldn't it?

Well, Apple left as soon as she came, and Sam and I went with her. It was sad, I admit, having a friend live in a village that was a few days journey away, but that was where she belonged, whether I liked it or not. What we didn't expect was finding the Sand Village under attack.

* * *

I didn't really trust Apple. There was only one I trusted from the group they called the "Riaru Clan," and that was Sam. Sam didn't live in the Sand anymore, and, I have to admit, I missed that. When Natalie made the mistake of joining the Akatsuki, Sam went to the Leaf. She somehow became a citizen in her time there, and she didn't come back to living here afterwards.

I suppose it's safe to assume those who were your first kiss don't last. They may be your first, but not your last love. Right? I didn't know. In any case, Apple was living in the Sand now, and was trying to get close to me. She was still shy around me, I could see that, but I knew her true self. She showed that when rejecting Kankuro.

I suppose, in a way, Apple was like Samantha. Either way, I still didn't completely trust Apple. I didn't feel the way I felt with Sam. I could still remember fairly clearly when Baki had told me not to go with Sam on their adventures. I was Kazekage, after all, and I had much to do. The thing was, this was the biggest tie I had ever forged, and I didn't want to lose this bond. I felt there was something special about her, and I left the Sand repeatedly just to make sure I was with her. Even when she was no longer a citizen of the Sand Village, I still went to that big battle in the Land of Waves. I was told not to go, but I did anyway. I guess I shouldn't have gone.

There, I was struck with lightning, taken to Sam's world, and by the time I made it back to the Sand, my village had already chosen a replacement Kazekage. Ties with the Leaf were considerably strained. I nearly lost my place as Kazekage. However, I proved to them it was all a misunderstanding, and, now that I was back, I could take back my place as Kazekage without the traveling of before. My days with Sam were over. I got that now. We were friends. Nothing more. We were very good friends.

I admit, I was mad at first at Natalie, for being the cause of her leave. However, I grew to accept the fact that we were just not meant to be. We wouldn't have been even if Natalie hadn't joined the Akatsuki. At least, that's what I kept telling myself.

"Lord Gaara!" someone cried, bursting through the door. It was Apple, Sam and Natalie following quickly behind. "Your… our village! It's been infiltrated!"

I stood. "By whom?"

"Kabuto," Sam said. "They – him and a bunch of zombies – attacked, and they're making a big show of it, too."

"And by making such a big show of it, it may imply it's a mere diversion," Natalie added.

My mind was already calculating outcomes and motives and actions to be taken. "But if it's a diversion, then what are they really after?" I asked.

"We don't know!" Sam cried. "We already got a few teams up against Kabuto and his zombies, but only you know what they might be after. Also, those who are out there have their hands full – they may need backup, and…." She didn't need to say any more.

I thought of every motive possible. I thought of something, _anything_ the Akatsuki could be going after. _It can't be me, I was already extracted; Madara was recently in the real world, so he could be looking for…. _Then it hit me. "The archives," I whispered.

* * *

We all rushed to protect the archives immediately, whatever they even were. I think Sam and Apple were just as clueless, though they were or once were citizens of this village. The underground room was huge, the ceiling higher then the eye could see, mostly because there was only dim light at ground level. I didn't have time to gape at it, however, as when we got there, Zetsu was waiting for us. Of course. If he was the one here to find information, he would be the most subtle. The black and the white of him was split apart, the white sucking the life out of the person watching over this place, and the black skimming quickly over the information.

When the four of us stepped in the underground room, the white Zetsu looked up at us, smiled, and five more clones appeared around us. Apple picked up her scythe threateningly. "Get out of here…," she said slowly. "Get out of my village!" She rushed forward killing white Zetsus quickly and effortlessly. She went up against them before, back when she thought it was all a dream. Now she was prepared. Sand rose from the ground as Gaara began attacking as well, while Sam just rushed at them with a kunai. I went for the black Zetsu.

Unfortunately, it didn't work, as more clones came up from the ground to sop me. I took out a kunai and attacked.

The fight ended abruptly when the black Zetsu had found the records he wanted. Once the black Zetsu sunk into the earth, all the white Zetsus followed behind. What was left was some blood, me, Sam, Gaara, and Apple, who collapsed and fell unconscious. Feeling defeated, I helped carry her to the hospital.

* * *

Sam and I were waiting for Apple when she awoke an hour or so later. Gaara would have stayed, if not for the people who needed his guidance after the attack. Apple's eyes closed tight, as though she were in pain, and she shed tears of blood. My eyes widened. Her eyes opened, showing only the whites of her eyes. I glanced at Sam. She nodded.

Kawarigan.

Black veins crawled in each eye until they were completely black, then the well known swirl of purple created the pupil. Apple had Kawarigan. She had risked her life to not only protect the people of the Sand Village, but the secrets the village protected. The purple and black of her eyes faded and returned to normal. She blinked a few times, then sat up. "Who was that guy?" she asked no one in particular.

"What guy?" Sam asked.

She looked at her. "Oh, hi Sam!" She looked at me. "I didn't realize…."

"Was it Mamoru?" I put in.

She looked at me. "Yeah. That was his name… and Tama. I didn't know either of them. They said something about the power of the Riaru…."

"Hey, I had the same dream right before I woke up on Maxey Island…," Sam realized.

I smiled at her. "Welcome to the Riaru Clan."

* * *

After explaining to Apple about Kawarigan, and after she assured me she could train herself, Sam and I left Apple, who was out of the hospital once she was awake, to go back to the Leaf. I must admit, it was hard to believe that now me, Sam, and Apple had Kawarigan. No one else in this world had it. Masashi Kishimoto probably had it, but he wasn't in this world, now, was he? No.

The day after we made it back to the Leaf, I went to the training ground. Why not? Haruka, Ashlie, Sierra, and Deidara were already there, watching Suigetsu and Kisame fight. Well, technically, Suigetsu and Kisame were there too, but oh well. They were the only ones really in action. Deidara looked at me and frowned. He pointed at Haruka. "Her name… is Haru?"

I replied, "Well, that's her nickname, but—"

"But she's called Haru."

I nodded.

He scowled. "I _told _you Haru was a girl's name," he growled.

"No you didn't!" I argued.

"But I thought it, hm. And I was talking to you through _thoughts._"

"Oh, really? I didn't hear it!" He 'hmph'd and turned back to watch the fight. Sierra seemed nervous about something, and I wasn't sure what. Ashlie was rooting Kisame on. She had been thrilled to find Kisame had joined our side, and he had become somewhat of a big brother to her. Ish. I was just surprised I had actually gotten through to him. Brittany had responded with a 'hmph' and a few incoherent mutterings. She was probably disappointed that Orochimaru was dead.

I walked over to Sierra. "What's wrong?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Sui is still tired from training; Kisame is gonna kill him!"

"He wouldn't _kill _Suigetsu; and besides, you shouldn't worry about him. Suigetsu is doing fine." I looked to the fight they were having, and my smile fell. "…Or not." Suigetsu was, in fact, not doing all that well. I could immediately tell he had been hit by Kisame's sword. That, or he used up a lot of chakra beforehand.

"Looks like Suigetsu's done for, hm," Deidara chuckled. He was on his knees, but still fight as best he could. He wasn't gonna give up, and that would be his downfall. Apparently I forgot to mention to Kisame that he wasn't supposed to kill anyone, because I was pretty sure that was what he about to do. What could I say? Maybe he didn't know better.

Sierra (she's a Suigetsu fangirl, remember) ran in front of Kisame just as he was about to hit Suigetsu. Kisame swung the sword anyway, as he had already started the momentum and couldn't stop even if he _had _realized Sierra was there. She yelped, and was silent. Oh… crap.

I ran over to her. I looked at Kisame, giving him a questioning look. "I wasn't gonna _kill_ him!" he said defensively, holding out his hands in a peace-like gesture. "I, uh, didn't mean to?"

I looked at Suigetsu. He was frowning. "Why the hell did you jump in front of me like that?" he yelled at the unconscious Sierra. Smart. "I didn't ask for your help!"

"She's unconscious, smart one. And she's losing a lot of blood…. I need to take her to the hospital." I carefully put her over my shoulder and ran off. Don't get me wrong; I was really worried about her. But it was for that reason that I was so calm. Of course, once she was in the hospital room, I began to pace. I knew it hadn't been smart to jump in front of Kisame like that, but she really just wanted to protect Suigetsu. She wasn't a ninja yet; she really didn't know any better.

Now to the problem. Sierra had lost a lot of blood; that was the worst of it. The cut from the sword was deep, but not fatal. It was really just the loss of chakra and blood that knocked her out. And the pain, of course, but she really wasn't bothered by that. Both Kisame and Suigetsu, surprisingly, came into the room to see her. Of course, they stood on opposite sides of the room. I was even more thoroughly surprised when Sierra's eyes started bleeding. Apple had gotten Kawarigan just the day before; now Sierra was getting it? And Sierra was my niece. My niece was getting Kawarigan! Holy chiz!

"You two are about to witness something you have never seen before," I whispered in awe to Suigetsu and Kisame. Both of them gave me a questioning look, but I just gestured to Sierra, whose eyes were already black, swirling with purple. It faded to her original light blue eyes. She looked around.

"Whoa, what happened?" was her first reaction.

I refrained from hugging her tight; I instead smiled wide. "You've got Kawarigan."

She stared at me. So did Kisame and Suigetsu. "And…. Wait." She looked around. "When did you guys get here? Why are you here? It's not your guyses fault, nothing to see here!" She laughed nervously. Suigetsu rose an eyebrow, but both of them walked out the door. Sierra and I looked at one another, then burst into laughter. My niece had Kawarigan. Holy chiz.

For the rest of the day, I spent some time with Deidara, Itachi, Sam, and Sasuke. We ate lunch at Ichiraku, and generally had a good time. It made me incredibly happy and satisfied to see Sasuke and Itachi as brothers, not as enemies. It showed me that there was hope. Hope for everyone, even Hidan. If I could get Hidan to be a good guy, I could get _anyone_ to be a good guy.

We actually checked on Hidan that day. I opened the door to his house, and didn't see him anywhere. I gestured for the other four to follow me in, and went forward. Hidan's house was small, only having a kitchen, a living room, and a bedroom. He wasn't in the kitchen or the living room, I could see that. However, the bedroom door was closed.

I sighed. "Is he really still asleep?" I asked no one in particular. "It's… what? Four o'clock?"

I swung open the bedroom door and put my hands on my hips. What I saw…. My mouth dropped open, and I could feel my eyes rounding into pupil-less circles, creating a good old anime expression. Sam peeked in, stood there a second, then burst into laughter. There was Hidan, sitting on a random chair in the corner, with Sarah in his lap… and they were, on most terms, making out.

"_Sarah, you freaking Mary-Sue!_" I yelled, then slammed the door.

Don't ask how that whole thing came to happen. I have no idea. Ask Sarah. Or Hidan. I don't know. But, other than that, nothing really happened the rest of the day. Sarah got incredibly mad at us (she was probably just embarrassed). Once the day ended we went to sleep, simple as that.

* * *

OKAY, so two people have Kawarigan now! This makes me happy, yes. And no, I don't know how the whole scene with Hidan and Sarah is possible. You tell me. ...Or ask Hidan or Sarah. Whatever. But STILL! This chapter is happyful!


	20. Chapter 19

I grinned at the device I still had, from the real world. "This," I said, gesturing to it, "is my plan."

Kabuto raised an eyebrow. I was angry at the fact that Kisame had betrayed me, and Yoshiaki was dead. So, I only had Zetsu and Kabuto left that were really in league with me. There were others that worked for us, but they weren't truly _with _me. "And what is it?" Kabuto asked.

I smiled beneath the mask. "This is the device used in the real world that controls our time." I paused to let them process that. "So, I can go back in time, and capture Samantha and Natalie before they even meet anyone in the Leaf. This would cause everything to turn to their natural events. They would never have interfered with our plans, and everything would be as it should be."

"That's cool," Zetsu half-shrugged. "**Sounds doable.**"

"Do you think we could prevent Lord Orochimaru's death?" Kabuto inquired.

"That's impossible," I replied, shaking my head. "He was sick, and already dying in the first place. However, we _can _save him from being sealed, and take him to this time so he would still be alive. There is only one catch."

"What's that?" Zetsu asked.

"You two may not remember what came to be, here. You may only know the new place of events."

Kabuto shrugged. "That's fine. So you will get Lord Orochimaru back?"

I nodded. "And off I go."

"Good luck," Zetsu offered.

I pulled the switches, ready to time travel…. I was momentarily blinded – I couldn't see what was happening.

"…And they sent me messages in a bottle, I swear!"

My eyes cleared again. I was in the trees, watching over Naruto and Sakura, who were walking… somewhere.

Sakura sighed. "Oh really, Naruto? I don't think so."

Naruto put his hands behind his head. "Don't believe it if you want, but it happened."

I ran forward, searching for Samantha and Natalie. When sifting through Sam's knowledge, I learned she first arrived in a clearing, which would be… here. I arrived at the clearing, the two girls staring at me. Natalie was touching the bark of a tree, and Samantha was holding up her hair in previous wonder.

Sam grinned. "It's Tobi!" she cried in delight.

_Right. I have to be Tobi, don't I? _"Would you like to come with Tobi?" I asked, my voice full of energy and excitement. They glanced at one another and nodded vigorously. They had just gotten here; they hadn't grasped the reality of what had happened. They didn't see the danger in an Akatsuki member. Ha. Big mistake.

* * *

After going to bed the night before, I was surprised when I woke up to find I was in that special clearing. Everyone in the Riaru clan was here: Ash, Sierra, Britt, Agatha, Sarah, Mackenzie, Haru, Sam, and even Apple. She was especially surprising, as she had been in the Sand. Then I noticed the two other people who were here…. Mamoru and Tama. Both of them were standing, talking in urgent whispers.

"What's going on?" I whispered to them.

They looked at me. "We're supposed to be _dead_ but we're _not_, _that's _what's going on!" Tama retorted.

"I figured _that_ much out," I sighed.

"We know only as much as you do," Mamoru said. So, they didn't know either. Around us, the others began waking up.

"How did I get _here_?" Apple asked.

"We're wondering that too," Britt replied, rubbing the back of her head.

"Who're they?" Mackenzie asked, then looked down at herself. "God, I'm glad I'm wearing clothes."

I rose an eyebrow, then answered, "Mamoru and Tama."

Sierra pointed at them. "Oh my gosh, I _met _you!"

"So did we," Sam groaned, gesturing to Apple.

"Well, look on the bright side," Haru put in. "You're alive, right?"

"What could have possibly happened?" I asked.

"I had a dream that a Shikamaru that was dressed in a hot-dog suit ruled the world, and kidnapped random people to be his slaves. Could that be it?" Agatha asked.

We all stared at her. "I don't think so…," Ashlie answered slowly.

"How would that explain us being alive, then, huh?" Tama asked, gesturing to Mamoru.

"Well, we need to figure it out," Mamoru said matter-of-factly.

I nodded in agreement. "Should we head to the Leaf Village?"

"Sure, why not?" Sierra answered. The others nodded.

When we got there, however, and stood atop the village wall, the sight took my breath away. The Leaf Village was a mere crater, debris piled up on the sides. We all glanced at one another, and rushed down. "What happened here? What happened to the village?" we asked random citizens.

Most of them stared at us in confusion, but one of them answered. "Where've _you_ been?" he asked. "Some Akatsuki member destroyed it awhile ago!"

Everything else was tuned out when reality hit me. Somehow, the chain of events had reverted back to their original path. "Guys!" I called. They all stopped asking random people, and looked at me. "That's it! What was supposed to happen, in the manga, it happened. Somehow, our existence must have been erased." As if on cue, Everyone but me, Sam, Tama, and Mamoru began fading. Every one of them winked out, then reappeared. Every one of them was also close to panic.

"What the hell was that?" Mackenzie cried.

"I was about to say the same thing!" Britt answered.

My brain was already working. "Well, if I'm right, then everyone is at war. So…. Agatha, Mackenzie, Haru, Ash, Sarah, Apple, and Sierra, you go to the battlefield to help them out. Sam, Mamoru, Tama, Britt and I will go to the hideout."

"Wait, I want to go to the forest!" Sarah interjected.

My brain was running to fast for my mouth to follow. "To get Hidan?" She nodded. "Sierra, you can go with her. You have Kawarigan, you can find him. Just activate it, focus, and say his name. It works. Now… go!"

* * *

Apparently Mamoru could teleport us straight to the hideout – I didn't know he could teleport until then. It wasn't like Madara could do, he had to make hand seals and all that complicated stuff. Either way, it worked… for him. Then he had to summon us. See? It was complicated. But, it worked nonetheless, and it made our trip that much shorter. The Akatsuki hideout wasn't exactly across the street and around the corner from the Leaf… or what was left of the Leaf.

When we got there, four people came out. Miki, Tama, Mamoru, and… some other person. I didn't much care to look at his features. Well… this was confusing. Now there were two Tamas, and two Mamorus. But… when I looked back at the Mamoru and Tama I knew, they were fading in and out. I stared in horror at the scene. They kept fading out completely, then coming back… until they _didn't _come back.

I stared at the new ones. "Note to self: Don't meet yourself." Britt and Sam nodded slowly.

"Who're _you_?" Tama asked, raising an eyebrow.

I cocked my own eyebrow and shot back, "_You _don't know _me_?"

"None of us do," Mamoru answered coldly. "Explain yourselves."

"I am Natalie, does that jog your memory?"

They paused to think. "As a matter of fact, it does," Mamoru said slowly. "You're the girl from Akatsuki."

I blinked. "Sure…. That's it. Yes. Now, can we get in?"

Tama shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

They began walking away, but Miki looked back at me, looking at me with kind, sympathetic eyes. He saw I was on the good side, and that I was confused. He knew I wasn't whatever the new Natalie was. Wait… then that meant our existence wasn't erased. And if it wasn't erased…. What happened? _It looks like we'll just have to figure that out._

We walked into the hideout quickly and quietly, but calmly so as not to attract attention. I supposedly belonged here, right? Then Britt and Sam were merely visitors that I was taking into the hideout, to help with the war. That would be our story. If we were where I thought we were in the timeline, then Karin was with the Leaf (I think she was captive…), Suigetsu and Juugo only just escaped their prison, Sasuke was in league with Madara, Yoshiaki technically didn't even exist, and most of the Akatsuki was dead. That meant the only people that were most likely in this hideout were Madara, Kabuto, Sasuke, and Zetsu. And, if I had interpreted Mamoru's words correctly, me. And… Sam? Would Sam be here? Probably. Our goal was to not meet Sam or Natalie, if we met ourselves… we'd go bye-bye. And Britt's existence was already at stake.

We walked silently through the empty halls, Britt and Sam looking behind us and off to the side. I just looked straight ahead, as though I really did belong here. It was deathly quiet, only the sound of our breathing, our footsteps, and my own heartbeat heard. It seemed as though whenever we'd turn a corner, there'd be someone waiting for us. My heart began to race, but I kept my breathing steady, my pace normal.

"_Maddiiieee!_"

All three of us jumped, stopping in our tracks. "That… that was _your _voice," Sam whispered to me.

I blinked. "It is? Gee, I sound… different." You know how when you record your voice and you listen to it, it sounds different than when you just speak? That's what it was like. But less electronic.

There was a corner right ahead of us, so we all backed against the wall. Britt peeked around the corner, then came back almost immediately. "It's you," she breathed. "That's so… weird."

"So is going to the Naruto world," I answered.

"…Right."

"Am I out there?" Sam whispered.

"No."

She nodded. "Then I'll go out and talk to her. She'd know me."

"Agreed," I replied. Sam straightened up, and walked out into the open. I didn't quite learn what happened, though, as Madara himself appeared before Britt and I right then, in his 'new and improved' special Sharingan-Rinnegan-ish mask. "Aw," I muttered. "I liked your orange, swirly mask better. Now you look more like a robot."

He ignored it. "This new world is wonderful, isn't it?"

* * *

When I walked out into the open, the new Natalie was facing in the other direction, muttering under her breath something like, "Where the hell _is _that fucking bastard…?" I blinked. Natalie wasn't much of a person to swear. She turned in my direction, and stopped short, staring at me. Her face paled. "Sa… Sam?"

I tried smiling. It didn't work. "Uh… hi. I…." Then I realized I had no clue what to say.

And _then _tears began rolling down her cheeks. What? "Sam… how are you here? What… is this? A dream? Or is it one of those stupid genjutsus?"

I decided to go out and tell her the truth. "This isn't the way it was meant to be. We are right now in an alternate reality… I think. I come from the world where things are right. At least… I think they were right. What happened, I'm not so sure. How I'm here? Not so sure on that, either."

She wiped the tears off her cheeks, and I finally realized how different this new Natalie was. She was thinner (if that were possible) and paler. She looked tired, and there was no longer that light in her eyes that showed an impossible amount of energy. "Well then, if this is a dream or not, I have to help you back to where you belong…. Where do you belong? …Hell, where do _I _belong?" She closed her eyes and shook her head.

"So… where am I in all this? I can't meet myself or I'm gone forever."

She looked at me, put her hands on my shoulders, and gave a sad smile. "Sam… you're dead."


	21. Chapter 20

Yay! Double update! Why? 'Cause a plot line is forming for the THIRD STORY! HAPPY FACE!

Too bad it's a depressing plot line...

But it's something! So it isn't over yet! Double yay!

* * *

I felt a shiver run down my spine. I was _dead_? Okay, I wasn't expecting that. Then again, who _would _expect to hear their best friend telling you, you were dead? Well, it wasn't a nice feeling. Not at all. It was… scary, to say the least. Imagine that. You're dead. It's like walking into a graveyard and seeing your own name etched into a gravestone. Yeah… not a nice feeling. "I'm… dead?"

Her hands slid off my shoulders, and her eyes went to the ground. "You… were killed."

"…Who killed me?"

She closed her eyes, tears beginning to flow again. "…Madara did."

My eyes widened even further. "What… happened?"

She gestured to the floor, and we sat. "You know Maxey Island – that's the same, correct?" I nodded. "And the clearing?" I nodded again. "And when Tobi came into the clearing?" I blinked, then shook my head. "Well then, that's where we'll begin. When Tobi came into the clearing, he offered to take us on a walk," she began. "He took us to an Akatsuki hideout, but locked us up almost immediately. They drugged us… and we went to sleep in a flash. While we were sleeping, they extracted our beasts. I didn't even know we _had _beasts! But… we didn't die. Sometimes, I wish we did….

"But anyway, after that, we were able to mingle with the other members as if we were one of them. And that's what they made us think: that we were one of them. However, Pain didn't allow me to stay around Deidara. I didn't even mention him, and they told me I couldn't be around him. I still don't quite know why…."

_I do, _I couldn't help but think. _Natalie was the one who got him to be a good guy…._

"But still, I stuck with Sam… uh… you. And you flocked to Itachi like a bee to honey. The leader said nothing against you trying to befriend him. It was weird, you barely mentioned Gaara, even though he was just your favorite character. Of course, you had been deciding over Gaara and Itachi…." She shrugged. "You went for the whole 'being-a-badass-Akatsuki' thing almost instantly. The Akatsuki was like a family to us. Hidan was like a brother to you." I blinked, surprised. Not that anything else wasn't surprising. "I guess I could say Pain was like a brother to me…. I hung around him a lot too, when I didn't feel I needed to be with my only connection to home.

"I guess it's safe to say you and Itachi became pretty good friends. But… that was all. You liked him more than you let on, as you confessed many times in our roomy two-bed room. Still, though, he only found slight comfort in being around you, because he knew you still had a pretty clean slate. Your whole future ahead of you. And don't get me wrong, you didn't just hang around him. You hung around Hidan a lot too; as I said, he was like your brother. You became quite the curser. I guess I swore a bit more often too. I didn't feel any need to hold back stuff like that when we were living with S-ranked criminals. I didn't just hang around Pain and Konan, either. I also hung around Tobi. He was fun to be around. I knew he was Madara, but if he was acting like Tobi right then, I wanted to enjoy it while it lasted. Not only that, but we began changing into them – it was weird. That is, until Tobi taught us how not to change.

"Of course, we weren't always in the same place. Whenever the Akatsuki separated, we could choose to stay with Pain and Konan in the Rain village, or go out with another group. But then… they started dying off, one by one. First was Hidan and Kakuzu. You were devastated your 'brother' had been incapacitated, and you wouldn't see him again. Then, when Deidara died, you began to panic. I had told all that would happen, so you knew Itachi was next. You had become incredibly tough and cold. Living like this does that. But you still cared; that toughness was just the outside.

"You begged Itachi not to go, but he refused. You knew he was sick anyway, you had seen him coughing up blood more than once. However, you still begged him to stay. But… he left. You were completely heartbroken. That night, you told me you were going after him. I told you not to, and you promised you wouldn't… but you did. And you were caught, by Madara. I was awoken the next morning by Tobi, saying the leader had a request. I immediately went with him to his room. His office, I guess." She paused, and gulped. The next part wasn't going to be good.

"Tobi went through the door first, and I closed the door behind me. Then, he wheeled around to face me, no longer Tobi. He wasn't a silly, care-free, kind little boy. He was an evil, heartless, bastard of a man. '_Your friend Samantha has disobeyed orders,'_ he told me. '_She needs to be punished.' _ I told him that all she wanted was to save her good friend, but he kept saying things like you were disobedient, that you shouldn't interfere with that fight, not to disrupt what was meant to be." She licked her lips. "Then he told me you were to be killed. I screamed at him not to. Begged him not to do it…. But… he didn't allow it.

"I fell to my knees, sobbing, crying that you were my best friend, that it would be punishing me, too. He… he hesitated. Maybe if I had tried a little harder…. But he wouldn't have it. He answered that it would teach me obedience, even though I had been incredibly obedient already. I guess I sorta forgot he wasn't Tobi anymore. If I had remembered, maybe I could have kept it together a little more. Maybe I could have reasoned with him. I'd rather have my own life taken than yours…. Pain came in, holding your arms behind your back. You were struggling your heart out, but he wouldn't let go.

"Pain looked down at you and said that it was time for your execution. You struggled even harder. Eventually you stopped struggling, eyes wide, and stared at me. We made eyes contact." She paused; she was crying by then. "Then I averted my gaze. Konan came out of nowhere and grabbed my arms, forcing me to stand. Pain, being the nice guy he is, suggested that this shouldn't happen. That it was too cruel. He knew how I felt. He basically killed Yahiko, and that was his best friend. Madara was his leader though, and his decision didn't sway. After his reasoning, Pain accepted I needed to know the true meaning of pain, anyway. Nice guy, huh? I had no choice. Maybe I had been a little more skilled…." She shook her head. "You looked at me with pleading eyes, and I struggled as hard as I could, yelling for them to not do it, to change their mind. Madara flipped out a kunai, walking towards you. For a second, you and made eye contact one last time. Then, without warning, he shoved the kunai into your chest. He drove it right through your heart. My breath caught in my throat; I stopped yelling. You just sorta stared, unblinking, for a second or two, but then you collapsed. Pain let go of your arms, Konan let go of mine, and I went to the floor right with you."

She stopped, tears streaming down her cheeks, but soon wiped them away to continue. "…I had lost my best friend. I had lost my last connection to my original home. I had lost one of the only kind souls left around me. I had lost all hope, ambition, energy, the will to move on. I had lost everything. I stumbled into a deep abyss of depression and self-doubt. Tobi came back, acting silly again, even though 'Deidara-senpai' had died. I didn't hang around him as much anymore. I didn't really hang around anyone. Usually I'd end up alone in our room. It was incredibly hard to accept your death. I walked through time as though in a fog, just doing as I was told, nothing else. Well, I guess it _did _help with obedience, since I didn't so much as question anything I was told to do. But then, Pain died. I awoke in a new hideout, with no memory of ever moving – Madara had teleported me, most likely. So, I didn't have the choice to stay with Konan, the new leader of the Rain. So, I was stuck with Madara, Kisame, Zetsu, and soon Kabuto and Sasuke. I stayed around Sasuke then, if anyone, because he was connected to Itachi, and it made me feel closer to you. We didn't really talk, and he barely noticed me, but just being near gave me some satisfaction. Kisame died soon after, and not much happened on my part. And now… we're here."

I did something I don't often do. I hugged her, and hugged her tight. She needed it. I may not have liked hugs, but I gave some of the best. Ironic, isn't it? She cried into my shoulder. "It's all because of Madara," I whispered. "If he hadn't come, things would be better. You'd get Deidara on the good side…. Itachi survives the fight…. Sasuke goes back to the Leaf…. We find our way back to the real world, back home. We all have a happy ending. It's not your fault. It's okay."

She pulled away, wiping, yet again, the tears of her cheeks. "I lost hope, Sam. I lost my will to move forward." She paused, then stood, eyes now full of life again. "I need to thank you…. You said you had to make it back to that good time." I nodded, and she smiled. "What can I do to help?"

* * *

Darn…. Madara just _loved _to rub things in people's faces, didn't he? Ugh…. Britt and I were transported to another room before we could even answer his question. My answer would have been no, anyway. It was probably a rhetorical question. Too bad. This new room wasn't all that great, though. It was just as gray as all the other rooms. Of course, this room was bigger than all the rest; it might have been a meeting hall. And Kabuto was there.

"Oh, _hi_ French Toast!" I greeted. Britt snickered at the memory of that party.

Kabuto just crossed his arms, confused.

"…He doesn't remember, does he?" I sighed, realizing he probably wouldn't, considering everything else had changed.

"Remember _what_?"

I blinked innocently. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot. You were drunk. You kept chanting 'I'mma French toast!' It was fun."

He uncrossed his arms. "_What?_ That didn't happen!"

"That's what _you _think," Britt smirked.

"Oh, I suppose you want to see your Akatsuki friends?" Madara asked me, interrupting.

I opened my mouth to answer, when three coffins came out of the ground, at Kabuto's signal, a smirk on his Orochimaru-y face. Each of them opened, and Madara and Kabuto swirled out of sight. Idiots. We'd just break out. I looked around and laughed nervously. "Ahaha… there's no way out…." And there wasn't. There were no windows, no doors, no nothing.

Britt pointed to the coffins, and I looked.

"Agh, where are we now, hm?" Deidara asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

I swallowed hard. Deidara was… dead in this world. Right. I looked at the other two coffins. They held… Nagato and Itachi. "Oh shi… uh… shiz," I muttered. This meant that they probably didn't remember us….

"Natalie…?" Nagato asked.

I blinked. _Or not. _"Uh… hi guys! What's up?" My hopes rose. If they remembered us, then they might have recollections on the world that was meant to be.

"We're dead, right?" Deidara frowned.

I gave another nervous laugh.

"…More like reborn," Itachi murmured.

"Or undead," Nagato put in glumly.

"Uh, well, you guys… remember me, right?" I asked.

"What do you think we are, hm? Idiots?" Deidara asked angrily.

"Maybe," Britt answered.

"Uh, no," I came in. "No. Uh…. Tell me, Itachi… did Sam and I try to stop the fight between you and Sasuke?"

His expression grew cold (not that it wasn't already). "Not you. Just Sam. Sam tried…."

"Okay," I said, even more confused. "Nagato, in your final talk with Naruto, did I burst in to try and save you from yourself?"

"No…."

I sighed. I had more questions than before now. Great. "…Does any of you have anything to say to me?"

"Not really, I barely know you, hm," Deidara muttered, annoyed.

Itachi stayed silent.

"I'd like to say… I'm sorry," Nagato said. "For not helping your friend."

I frowned. "Hey Britt, do you have any idea what they mean?"

She shook her head. "Nope!"

I sighed. "Well this is just freaking perfect," I muttered.

Three people swirled back. "Sorry, we just had to pick up a friend," Madara said innocently.

"You know how much this stinks?" I asked him. "These people are confuzzling me!"

"Oh, it gets worse."

"Recognize me?" the third person asked. It was Orochimaru. And he looked perfectly fine, too. He wasn't lying in a bed, hacking his lungs out.

There was something _seriously_ wrong with this world.

Britt gasped. "Oreos!"

I winced. _She's not supposed to be happy about this…. _Before I knew it, Orochimaru was being glomped. He was obviously still weak, as he fell over. Everyone just sorta stared, while Oro was struggling to get her off. Orochimaru, by the way, was wearing a dark robe. Kinda like a bathrobe. But it wasn't. So… yeah. It was a… kimono, maybe? He had lost the purple rope, anyway. That was good. I didn't really like the purple rope. In fact, when I first saw the Shippuden Sasuke, the first thing I said was '_Oh… he even has the _rope_!'_

"Get off of him, you fool!" Kabuto ordered once he processed what had happened. She reluctantly got up, though Oro was now breathing hard… and mad. He was definitely mad

"Well," Madara commented, "that certainly wasn't the reaction I expected…. I suppose I must congratulate you for surprising me."

"How the hell could you even _think _of liking that snake bastard, hm?" Deidara yelled. "I thought he was fucking _dead_! I—" Deidara, along with Nagato and Itachi (who weren't saying anything) were silenced, and the coffins sunk into the ground.

"How annoying…," Madara breathed, then turned to me. "Have I convinced you yet? That this world is _much _better than the one you knew?"

"Well," I said, knowing he was just trying to freak me out, "not really. Now, tell me; what other tricks do you have up your sleeve?"

I sensed his smile, and I prepared myself. "Just one," he said, and a single coffin rose from the ground. It looked so lonely there, as the room was utterly empty besides me, Britt, Oro, Kab-to, and Maddie. I couldn't prepare myself for who came out of the coffin, however. I mean, really…. I could never have even imagined it, except if it were in a nightmare.

It was Sam.

Was Sam… _dead _in this world? This world was _way _too twisted…. I _really_ didn't like it now…. I gulped. I think the creepiest part about it was the fact Kabuto didn't bring her original personality. Her eyes were shadowed, and it was, to say the least, creepy. And it hit me hard. Madara _always _knew _just _what hit someone the hardest. And since we'd been enemies for a while now, and strained acquaintances in the time he was Tobi, he knew me well.

Ha… crap.

"Holy crap! It's… it's _Sam_!" Britt cried.

Madara took a step forward as my knees started going weak. _Not _now, _damn it! I can't show weakness here. I'll die! I don't wanna die!_

The coffin began to sink, Sam along with it, Madara saying to me, "See? This world is wonderful. That nuisance Samantha has been disposed of. Itachi is out of the way. You're a faithful member of Akatsuki. And, of course, everything is as it should be. As Masashi depicted it."

"No," I argued. "If it was as Masashi depicted, Sam and I wouldn't even be here." My confidence grew slightly. "And Mamoru, Tama, Miki, and that other dude wouldn't be in your hideout! What of them?"

"That may be true. However, they didn't interfere with the true storyline. The actual show."

An idea hit me. "Is that what you really want? Masashi's depiction? The show's called _Naruto_! You gotta think straight! Your ending won't be happy! The good guy nearly always wins, you idiot!"

He shook his head. "You are a fool." It was then that Zetsu molded out of the ground.

* * *

And... Oro's alive! Dun dun dunnn... Or is that a good thing? THE WORLD MAY NEVER KNOW.


	22. Chapter 21

After looking around the corner, only to find Natalie and Britt were gone, I followed Natalie to wherever she led me. I knew I couldn't try to find them. If Natalie met Natalie, Natalie would cease to exist, and Natalie would forever take Natalie's place unless I figured out what to do. Hey, that's a confusing sentence.

After a lot of wandering and following, I heard a voice up ahead. "Are they ready yet?"

"No. **You need to be patient.**"

Uh oh…. I knew those voices. And one of them I didn't like. Technically two, but whatever. "There's Sasuke and Zetsu," Natalie whispered, pointing to a closed door ahead. I winced. All that had happened…. It was erased. Sasuke was now, yet again, a cold-hearted bastard. Well, at least that meant I could be as mean as I wanted to him. Oh, boy!

"How much longer? It's been… how long, exactly?"

"Not too much longer."

Sasuke sighed.

Oh. And apparently he was impatient too. "A little impatient, isn't he?" I whispered. "I can't wait to barge in there and freak them out." I took a step forward, but Natalie grabbed my arm.

"You'll be killed!" she answered in a strained whisper, looking at me with huge eyes.

I blinked, then, realizing her view on all this, put my hand on her shoulder and said quietly, "Don't worry. I'm trained. And besides, I've fought Zetsu twice. And Sasuke; I've fought him seriously once. …I epically failed, but I've gotten better since then."

"So has he. Karin thought it right before she went into Leaf custody. His chakra is darker. His whole _being _is darker. It's… horrible."

"How do you know? You weren't with Karin. …Were you?"

"Oh, no. The only thing I've been trained to do is tap into the hidden cameras, and read minds. That was it, though."

I nodded, and said firmly, "Don't worry. I'll be fine." Without waiting for an answer, I barged through the door with a grin on my face. "_Hey_ guys! Long time no see!"

"Whoa… are you a ghost? **No. Of course she's not a ghost, you idiot.**"

"Damn it, who's there?" Sasuke asked. There were bandages wrapped around his eyes, so he couldn't see me. And he didn't recognize my chakra either. I _really_ didn't want to know what the bandages were for.

With my super awesome ninja speed, I appeared behind him and put my hand on his head, ruffling his hair. I knew he wouldn't remember a thing. So, just to confuse him, I answered, "What, don't recognize my voice? I'm the girl you were crushing on for the past year! Duh!"

He grabbed my arm and flipped me over him. "Don't play with me," he growled.

I got up and brushed myself off, and Zetsu sunk into the ground. "Oh, how cruel! This is how you treat the girl that tried to save your brother's skin?"

He stood. "Don't even _speak _of my brother!"

"Well, you love him now, right? Learned his story and crap?"

He didn't answer.

"Well guess what? _I_ was Itachi's friend while _you_ were out to kill him!" He flipped out his sword and swung at me. I dodged. "I wanted so badly to save him, but that idiot Madara stopped me from saving your brother's life, just so he could have you as a minion."

He let out an angered cry and sliced where I was a mere millisecond ago. I had to give him some credit. He was pretty much blind.

"It's hard being blind, isn't it? Don't ya think that big fight wasn't all that fair? For Itachi, I mean." Natalie was always the one that got to play with others minds to lead them to the good path. I wanted to give it a try.

…That, and it was fun making him mad.

Well, that is, until electricity flew from him in all directions, making me fly into the wall. Chidori Stream isn't my favorite. _Well then, you're gonna play that way? _I smiled. I had been working with Natalie on my Kawarigan. It was time to put it to the test. I transformed into Sasuke, just for the fun of it, just without the bandages. He couldn't see me anyway. And besides, I couldn't attain only one part of someone quite yet.

Sasuke whirled around, wondering where my chakra signature had gone. He scowled; I smiled. I had confused him. _Chidori Stream! _I did exactly as he just did, channeling electricity out of all parts of my body.

He jumped backwards. So did I. We began doing things at the exact same time, in sync. He flipped out his sword. I flipped out my sword. He made it blaze with electricity. So did I. We attacked. We blew fire. I was angering him further. Yes.

Natalie had the courage to step in the room then, but, finding not one, but _two_ Sasukes fighting one another, she slowly backed out of the room. I barely noticed her though. My mind was in sync with Sasuke's at the moment. In fact, I didn't even notice when Madara came out of nowhere. Well, I didn't notice him until he said in his freakishly deep voice, "_Stop_." Both of us stopped, and looked at him, swords still at the ready. Well, Sasuke turned in his direction – he still had the bandages over his eyes.

"You _wanted _Itachi to die?" we yelled in unison. We scowled at one another. "What the hell is wrong with you? Stop copying me! Hey! _You're _copying _me_! Not the other way around!"

"Well this is… interesting. I can't even tell which is which. Oh well, looks like your both coming with me," he said, and swirled us both away. As we left, though, I caught a glimpse of Natalie out of the corner of my eye.

We reappeared in another room, and I decided, hey, why not change back? So I did. I was myself again. It's pretty hard to retain that for long without losing yourself. Sasuke ripped off the bandages, eyes blazing red. _Oh crap… that's… Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. Wait…. He took Itachi's eyes? What the fuck is wrong with him?_

He grabbed Madara's arm, gripping it tightly. Madara kept it solid, too, it didn't disappear. I looked around the room. _Hey! Natalie's here! And so is Britt! And Kabuto, and… oh crap. Not Orochimaru. No way. _"Orochimaru's alive?" I screamed.

Britt grinned and nodded.

"So why the _hell _do you expect me to believe you didn't want Itachi to die?" Sasuke asked Madara angrily.

"I never said that. And besides, you couldn't beat me. You know that," Madara answered.

Sasuke glared at him a moment, then ripped his hand away from Madara's arm.

"Madara was the one who set the nine-tails on the Leaf, too!" Natalie came in. "Isn't that what Itachi said, anyway?"

Sasuke looked up, eyes narrowed. "Don't believe them," Madara said with a wave of his hand. "They just don't like me." Sasuke glared at him. Then, the ground began to shake. Orochimaru fell over (_Ha!_) and everyone else almost did. Except for Madara, because he's apparently just that awesome (Yeah right….).

"What the frick was _that_?" Britt yelled.

"We don't know either!" Sasuke yelled right back. He was obviously more mad than usual right now. Jeez, I _wonder _why.

Madara looked at me. "Samantha, what was it Natalie told you?"

"Why do _you _wanna know?"

His visible eye narrowed. "Telling you isn't necessary. What did _she _tell _you_?"

"I'm not telling you!" I retorted.

He paused. "You lack obedience."

"Oh yeah? You lack balls."

Britt laughed.

Madara ignored it, and was about to reply, when the ground shook again.

"What the flarp?" Natalie cried, this time falling over too. Then, a metal box fell right into her arms. "…Huh?"

"Drop it," Kabuto said coldly.

Britt picked it up. "Why? Don't want us to have it?" she smiled. Madara disappeared, then reappeared by Britt. "Crap!" she yelped, then threw it to Natalie. She jumped to her feet, and caught it. Then she ran as fast as she could, zigzagging and looping to try to stay away from Madara, Kabuto, and Orochimaru. She even jumped and ran on the ceiling for a short length. Showoff.

"Sasuke, don't just stand there!" Kabuto ordered.

Sasuke sighed and flipped out his sword, replying, "Why the hell do we need that anyway?"

Natalie tossed it to me, and I nearly dropped it. Then I ran around, knowing I had to act mostly on instinct, or the Sharingan would be able to read my moves. They cornered me, and I panicked and tossed it back to Natalie. "Press a button or something!" Britt suggested.

Natalie looked at it, scanning the buttons and glancing at the strange lever and small screen. She pressed something.

I panicked and tossed the thing back to Natalie. Wait… déjà vu…. "What the hell just happened?" Britt yelled.

Natalie pressed something else….

And the metal box landed in Natalie's lap. "Drop it," Kabuto said coldly.

"Whoa… déjà vu…," Natalie murmured.

"What the…? It's like a time machine!" Britt said excitedly.

"Guys, get close to me!" Natalie yelled, and we all ran towards her. She pressed a button… and Madara, Sasuke, Orochimaru, and Kabuto disappeared. The room now had exits. …Weird.

"What did you… do?" I asked hesitantly.

"…I hit the undo button," she answered in awe.

Britt looked closer at the time-machine-thing. "Hey… look."

On the back was written "_Thank you, Sam. I hope this brings you home. ~ Natalie_"

I smiled. "Let's… get out of here," I suggested.

"What do we do with this?" Natalie asked, gazing at the machine as if in a daze.

"Leave it."

She nodded, and set it down. "You think things are normal now?" Britt asked.

"Let's hope so," I replied. "Let's go."

"I'll just… check something. You go on without me; I'll catch up."

Natalie and I looked at one another and shrugged. "Be careful," Natalie said, and we finally got out of that place.

Good riddance.

* * *

We made it back, gladly, and I was happy to find the others coming back one by one as well. Sarah was first, who was grinning wide. "I have Kawarigan!" she squealed and glomped me. Sierra glomped me because… well, she was just happy to see me.

"Saved Hidan?"

She nodded. "He tried to bite my throat out, but I saved him!"

Agatha, Mackenzie, Haru, Ash, and Apple came back next, Mackenzie showing off her new Kawarigan. "I saved Kakashi!" she cried in delight, and pointed to her eyes. "See? _See_? I thought I'd die, but at the last second the people and the wounds just disappeared!"

"Anyone _else_ earn Kawarigan that I don't know about?" I asked with surprise.

Agatha laughed and raised her hand. "I did."

"And who did _you_ save?"

"Hinata!"

I smiled and shook my head. Now Sam, Sierra, Apple, Sarah, Mackenzie, Agatha, and I all had Kawarigan. Who was next? Seven out of the ten of us had it now. Only Haru, Britt, and Ash didn't have it….

Wow.

And as for that metal box…. It must have been a time machine of some sort. _"Your people control our time," _Sakura had said. Was that what controlled it? Maybe. As for me, I was tempted to use it…. I could correct so many mistakes of the past. If I could only go into the past, raise some people differently, then maybe… so many lives would stay on the right path. Have you ever wondered what Hidan would be like if he were raised in the Leaf instead? He went rogue all because his village decided not to have ninja anymore. Who knows, he might have been a good guy. And what if, what if I could go back and stop Madara's attack of the nine-tails? That was what started it all….

So much would change.

But then… a lot that had happened I didn't necessarily want to change. No one would be who they were now. Not only that, but… I probably wouldn't have met Deidara. I know that sounds cheesy… or corny…. What's the difference between the two anyway? I never did get that. But anyway, it may sound dumb, but too flarping bad. That's just how I felt.

This brought me to a question. I knew why Sasuke, Gaara, and Itachi liked _Sam_, but why did Deidara like me? Heck, why did _Naruto _like me? (Well, back then. He seemed to have gotten over me, which was good.) I decided to ask them myself, although it would probably be kinda… awkward to ask.

"Hey… where's Britt?" Ash asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Oh, right!" I replied. "She said she'd be catching up with us…. I hope she's okay."

* * *

Well, uh, there you go! I, personally, am not all that happy with this... "arc," if you will. Oh, well. Too late.

Review?


	23. Chapter 22

Teehee, looks like I has another critic for my first story. Unfortunately, every word he says is completely and utterly correct. And I appreciate his or her gesture to help me correct my writing. And I try to correct it. But... well, once I come up with a story line, it's difficult for me to abandon it so it's better, even if the story line happens to include slight Mary-Sue-ness. Sadface. I really was hoping not to create Mary-Sues. I suppose it's too late for that now, huh? Oh, well...

WELL THEN, this is a very happyful chapter, mostly. I hope you enjoy it. If you cry in the middle of it, do tell why, because that would confuse me.

* * *

Sam, Sarah, Sierra, and I sat at a table in Sam and my backyard, drinking lemonade. Brittany still wasn't back, but a little bit of Kawarigan assured me she was fine. Just cheeky. She had "joined" the remaining Akatsuki, trying to get Orochimaru to be a good guy. She didn't seem to be getting progress so far, but she kept trying.

Anyway, Sam had invited the Uchiha brothers over for lunch, and that's what they were gonna do. Now we were sipping lemonade, waiting for them to get here so we could eat. There was a knock on the front door. I looked at the clock through the window. Perfect timing. "We're in the back!" Sam called, and they almost instantly appeared there. An advantage to being a ninja. Sam stood. "I'll get the sammiches!" Then she ran in the house.

Sierra stood, putting her hands on her hips, and stared at the Uchiha brothers. "…What?" Sasuke asked.

"He speaks!" Sarah cried.

"Say…," Sierra said slowly, "did you know that boofhead means fool in another language?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, and both of them looked at one another. Then, Itachi smirked. "Sasuke, you boofhead," he said softly, and poked him in the forehead.

His hand went to his forehead. "Hey! _You're _the boofhead here!" He poked Itachi in the forehead.

"No, little brother… _you _are," he answered, and poked him back. Sierra crossed her arms and sat down, satisfied. The three of us watched as the two great, calm Uchiha brothers fought over who was a boofhead.

"You're the boofhead." _Poke._

"No_, you're _the boofhead!" _Poke._

"You boofhead. You are so childish…." _Poke._

Sam came out with the sandwiches, and stared. "What the hell?"

All of us looked at her, Sasuke and Itachi's hands still raised in mid-poke. Still staring at Sam, Sasuke gave a final, quick poke to Itachi's forehead. "Okay, okay, stop. Stop," Sam said, setting the sandwiches on the table. "What the heck is going on? A poking contest? What the hell's a boofhead?"

Sasuke and Itachi glanced at one another for a split second, and we all started to laugh. Sasuke and Itachi included. Sam joined in after a second, too. I was actually more laughing out of pure joy, at seeing the two Uchihas laughing together like brothers once more. It's something I was extremely happy about. It was… beautiful. I guess. (Meaning, I can't think of any better words.) Once it was over, we were all eating our sandwiches and drinking lemonade.

"You know why I like lemonade so much?" Sarah asked, taking a sip.

"Hm?" I replied, taking a sip of my own. This was good lemonade; Sam made some of the best. Meaning, she put in "too much" sugar, making it perfectly sweet, but still lemony.

"…It has to do with lemons," she said with a grin, taking another sip, and I spit the lemonade everywhere. _Spit-take!_ Sam choked, and Sierra just slowly put her lemonade down.

"What…?" Itachi began, but I shook my head.

"No! Nothing! Nothing at all! This _never_ happened! _Don't ask!_"

The brothers blinked. "Okay…," Sasuke said, and continued eating.

Sam, now done choking, hit Sarah over the head. "What the hell?" Sarah just laughed, and there was another knock on the door. "Did you invite anyone?" Sam asked me.

"Nope. _We're in the back!_" I called to our new visitor. Mackenzie ran in from the front, forgetting she could use her ninja skills to just jump over the house. Oh, well. It's not like it really mattered.

"I heard that Sasuke and Itachi were here and I was wondering if I could practice my Kawarigan on them _please_?"

Sasuke shook his head, eyes wide, remembering _very _clearly what had happened last time. Sam put her arm around him. "Oh, come on, Sasuke. Go ahead. It's not like you're gonna _die_."

However, both Sasuke and Itachi stood up, and walked away from the table. Once they stopped, they looked around. "Wait… what?" Sasuke asked in confusion.

"Agatha figured that out!" Mackenzie said excitedly, eyes already Kawarigan. "If they aren't expecting it, you can make them move. You can also control more than one person at a time! It's just harder." She closed her eyes, and Sierra, Sarah, Sam, and I waited to see what would happen.

"Wait, I didn't agree to this!" Sasuke protested. His pupils dilated. "Go ahead and Kawarigan me." His pupils shrunk again. "Hey!"

"Come on, Sasuke, it can't be that bad," Itachi told Sasuke, trying to comfort him, or chide him into doing it… or something like that.

Sam crossed her arms. "Whatever you do, Mackenzie, don't make Itachi a girl. …Or act like one."

Itachi stared at Sam. "…What?" He apparently didn't know what, exactly, Kawarigan could do. Sasuke obviously hadn't told him what had happened. And Itachi was sick when I was figuring stuff out, so it was possible he only thought Kawarigan could affect the user. But then, he also could have just not thought it could go so far as to change a gender.

Then suddenly… their hair switched. Sasuke had Itachi's hair, and Itachi had Sasuke's hair. I held in laughter, especially when Sasuke, who wasn't used to having more hair, nearly lost his balance and fell backwards, Itachi's head jerking forward slightly at the lack of said hair.

"No…," Sam whined. "Not his prettyful hair…." Neither of them, luckily, heard that complaint. Then they switched back, and Mackenzie laughed.

"Okay, thanks! I'm gonna go try this on Naruto! Bye!" She ran off.

I crossed my arms. "Well, that was… weird."

"No comment," Sam frowned.

"…Hn," Itachi put in.

I smiled. "Hey, did you know I speak Uchiha?"

"What?" they both asked.

Sam sighed. "What the heck do you mean by that?"

"Well, what do you think?" I replied. "Whenever they say 'hn,' I know what they mean! So, _ha,_ Sam."

"Prove it," Sierra smiled, jabbing her finger at me.

"Okay," I said as Itachi and Sasuke sat back down. "You two" – gestured to Sasuke and Itachi – "only speak Uchiha. Starting… now."

Itachi shrugged. "Hn."

"He says 'okay.'"

Sasuke frowned. "…Hn."

"He says, 'that's too easy.'"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Hn?"

"He asked me if I can decipher whole sentences, or if I'm just trying to show off."

"Hn," Itachi 'hn'd.

"Hn…?" I replied.

"…Hn."

"Hn?"

"Hn…."

Sam furrowed her brow. "…What?"

"I got nothing out of that," Sarah agreed.

I smiled. "I asked him to tell me a secret, and he told me that when he's alone, and no one's watching, he has giggle fits, and he also occasionally talks in his sleep about his long lost pink cat named Loretta."

Itachi had been nodding slightly, until a mere moment after I finished. "_What? _No I didn't!" Sasuke and I immediately start laughing (though his laughter was much more controlled) and soon we were all laughing together again. Itachi was the last to laugh, but he still laughed. That's a score for me…. I made the Uchiha brothers laugh! _Twice!_ Now I just had to get Madara to laugh…. And not in an evil way…. Ha, like that was gonna happen.

* * *

"Hey Deidara… I have a question," I said to, well, Deidara, who was, at the moment, relaxing. I smiled – before he came to our side, could you ever expect to find him relaxed? Not really, right? He was tense, and angry. He was softer now…. Not too soft, I mean, but he wasn't always on edge. Plus, his temper had considerably lessened.

"Hmmm?"

"…What made you like me in the first place? I mean, before, you were, no offense, a bad guy, and liked killing people. In fact, you wanted to kill _me_. What… happened?"

He looked at me. "Well, hm, I gotta say you first caught my attention when you said you actually liked my art. Not many appreciate it. It annoys me, hm. After that, we were forced to get closer anyway, what with _'Tobi'_ forcing us to bond. Then… I guess it was your laugh. It wasn't annoying and fake like Tobi's, or sarcastic, but you actually _laughed_." He smiled slightly. "It wasn't an evil, 'oh-you're-gonna-die' laughs, either. It was happy, and innocent. It was the kind of thing I hadn't heard or experienced in a long time. I guess that was what got me."

I smiled. _Yay! I'm _not _a complete Mary-Sue! …Right? I hope… _"One more question…."

"What's that, hm?"

"…How the heck do those hand mouths work? I mean, do their throats go through your arms?"

He looked back at me. "Eh?"

Later, I went for Naruto. Wanting to see why _he _fell for me. I mean, really. I had pretended I was dead for two years, and then, when he sees me again, we kiss. There had to be something behind that. Seriously. You'd think he'd be mad… or _something._

His gave his answer in a sheepish tone. "Ah… well… I guess I kinda like the smart girls."

I frowned. "Great…." So, he had liked me because I was smart. Like Sakura, which must have been why he fell for her. Wow. That's… touching. (Note the sarcasm.)

After that, my search was done. I'd had my question answered.

* * *

_Dear Mom and Dad – _

_I miss you guys! How's everything going? How are you? How's Precious and Oliver? How's Anna? I really hope she forgave us…. And I really hope you forgive me. I love you both._

_~Natalie_

I smiled, and sent the note away. I was pretty sure Maddie wouldn't interrupt our conversation this time, as he wasn't trapped in the… 'warp' now. I got a message back.

_Hey My Natalie!_

_Your mom is getting better. She's not completely accepted it, but… she's getting better. I hear Oliver and Precious miss you too, but I'm not sure about Anna and if she forgives you. I haven't seen her. As for me, you don't need to worry. I love you, My Natalie._

_Dad_

_PS – You got a letter from Masashi Kishimoto. Your mom and I can't read it, so I just sent it to you._

There was another piece of paper attached. I looked at it. It was, in fact, from Masashi Kishimoto. It talked about how he had discovered a few new ways to use Kawarigan. It said that you could acquire a certain trait from someone, and keep it for as long as you wanted, if you knew how. It also said that a Kawarigan user could channel some Kawarigan power into someone. It could be a trait of someone else, or it could be an actual power of Kawarigan. For example, let's say I want to give Sasuke Itachi's lines, and make them stay there. I can channel that trait from Itachi to him. (Itachi would still have them, too.) Or, if I wanted, I could give Sasuke the ability to change into anyone. There was one other thing to the list of new powers. I could make a change to someone stay on, instead of only lasting a few minutes. I'd have to tap into the power of the 'warp' – the real world – to do this, though. And that, he said, would take a lot of chakra.

I pocketed the notes, and answered,

_Thanks, Dad! Say, did you see the party at the hideout yet? Apparently, Sam has chocolate. Some sort of stash, I guess. Lucky her…. But I have no cheesecake! How is that fair? But anyway, I love you Dad. Thank you for forgiving me…._

_~Natalie_

He soon answered, and with the next note came a slice of cheesecake, complete with a small plate and a fork.

_Ha ha, here you go, My Natalie! I hope you enjoy it! And no problem; I love you my Natalie. It's weird, seeing you on television. You're… cartoon-y. Another thing – your names are different! You're Natari, Sam's Samansa, Sarah's Sara, Sierra's Sawara, Mackenzie's Makkenji, Apple is Appuru, Ashlie is Ashuri, Agatha's Agasa, and Brittany is Burutanyu…. The only girl whose name hasn't changed is Haruka. It's very interesting…. I guess I'll have to get used to it, huh? _

_Love, Dad_

I smiled, and immediately took a bite of my slice of cheesecake. "Mmm…." I hadn't had cheesecake in so long…. In fact, the last time I had it was before Sam and I first came to the Naruto world! That was so long ago…. I walked out of the field, and headed to the training ground to check on fellow Riaru. When I got there, Agatha and Ashlie were sparring. Only the Riaru were in the clearing at the moment. Everyone but Sam, Britt, and Apple, of course.

I watched the spar, slowly eating my cheesecake and savoring every bite. "Damn it!" Agatha yelled in the middle of the battle. "Keep quiet, Muse! I'm trying to fight!" In that moment, Ashlie found an opening, and threw a punch to Agatha's face. Ow.

Ashlie helped her up. "Ha, sorry 'bout that. What's a muse? You've mentioned that more than once."

Agatha opened her mouth to speak, but shut it again, as though deciding against it. "I guess you'll have to figure it out," she smiled.

Mackenzie tapped on my shoulder, and I turned. She held out a staff, grinning wide. "Look! I got a staff! It may look like a stick, but I can fly with it! Having wind element is awesome!" She stopped, and giggled. "…It looks like a stick…."

I rolled my eyes as she started singing 'Love Game' by Lady Gaga and walked over to Agatha. I pulled her over to the side. "I bet you I know what Muse is," I said. I had had a general idea of it for a while. When the worlds were falling apart, I had heard Agatha's thoughts, and she had answered to them as "Muse." So, my answer to her was, "Muse is your thoughts, isn't it?"

She smiled. "Close, but not quite. Muse is kinda like a second person in my head."

"Really? That's awesome!"

"Thanks…. She's annoying, though."

I shrugged. "Hey, the person in Sam's head tried to kill her. At least you don't have _that_." Yes, Sam used to have a person in her head. His name was Jimmy. Jimmy wasn't a nice voice.

She blinked. "Yeah, I guess so…."

* * *

My brother and I were headed to Sam's house – again. She had invited us, and there wasn't much else to do anyway, besides training. And Itachi and I needed a break from training. Not that _he _was tired. He had the Eternal Mangekyo now, after all. He had more energy and strength than he had ever had. No wonder Madara was so damn powerful.

Itachi knocked on the door. "_I'm in the back!_" was the reply. We glanced at one another – both of us had heard the hint of insanity in her voice. We jumped over the house, as usual, and we found Sam sitting in a chair, eating a bar of… what was it called? Chocolate. The thing that we both knew made Sam inexplicably hyperactive and crazy. "Oh, _hi_ guys!" she greeted. "Crap, I forgot you guys were coming! Oh, please don't tell Natalie I have a stash of chocolate. Pretty _pretty _please?"

"Sure, Sam…," Itachi answered. "But doesn't that…?"

"…Make you really crazy and hyperactive?" I finished.

She giggled insanely, but stopped short. "Yeah, but I only had a _little_. So I'm only a _little _hyper right now. And… and I can kinda control it if I really really want to."

"Okay…," I said cautiously. Both of us sat on a chair.

She gasped. "Itachi can I sit on your lap?" I frowned and tried to ignore it as she sat down anyway. I later learned that she _didn't_ have any control of what she was doing. So, when she made an open-mouthed smile and started moving her head back and forth, staying level, and finished with an insane giggle, she barely remembered it afterwards. "_OH MY GOD _do you guys want to try some?" she asked, jumping up.

I admit, I was curious as to why she liked it so much. I knew it didn't make everyone act like this, as I'd seen other people – like Apple and Agatha – eat it. (You remember – at that welcome back party.) We didn't get to answer, as she ran into the house to grab some from her "stash." I guess the best way to describe this situation was "awkward."

Sam ran back out, and shoved part of a bar in Itachi's mouth. (We now knew for sure that she had lied about being in control of her actions.) "_See?_ Isn't it _good_?"

Itachi chewed, swallowed, and answered, "I admit I can see why you like it."

"Oh boy!" she squealed. "Here's a nice bar for ya!" He took it, and began eating. Both of them were just sorta… eating… and I was sitting there. I wasn't going to ask for it. No way. They had mentioned it was sweet. I didn't like _any _form of sweet foods. As Itachi continued eating, a smirk slowly grew on his face. The smirk grew to a smile. The smile transformed to a grin. Itachi didn't exactly grin often. I was, to say the least, slightly afraid. Especially when he started laughing.

"Hey, _Sasuke,_" he suggested, holding out another bar. "Maybe you should try some too! This is delicious!" Both of them went into fits of laughter, and I slowly shook my head. I didn't want to be affected by whatever was in that chocolate. I'd act like a fool.

…A boofhead.

"C'mon, Sasuke," Sam agreed, putting her arm around me. "Join us in the wonderful ecstasy of chocolate!"

I remember having the new bar forced into my tightly shut mouth. I remember it tasting disgustingly sweet. I remember Sam shoving an entire bar in my mouth anyway. I don't remember much after that.

* * *

After I finished my cheesecake, I headed back to the house. I was sad it was already gone, and licked the plate clean on the way there. If this was filmed, my mom would be ashamed. Oh, well. Too bad. I loved me my cheesecake. When I reached the house, there was a chorus of insane laughter coming from the backyard. Slightly afraid, I headed to the back, where I found Itachi shoving Sam into Sasuke, a weird expression on his face. (It reminded me of a hamster. …Wait, no, a _weasel_!)

Sam then accidentally licked Sasuke's cheek, as her mouth had been open when she was shoved. "_OH MY GOD Sasuke tastes like blueberry muffins!_" she squealed.

Sasuke, in turn, licked her cheek. "And you taste like…" – he paused, placing the taste – "…_CHOCOLATE!" _He pounced on her, and Sam squealed like a dying cat.

Itachi, meanwhile, had fallen to the ground, rolling around and saying, "I'm a caterpillarrr!" Sam's arm proceeded to start spazzing again, slapping Sasuke in the face.

There was something seriously wrong with this picture.

I ran over to them as Sasuke jumped to his feet, and I poked him in the arm before he could do anything. He responded by falling to the ground in a fit of rolling and spazzy-ness. "They're… chocolate drunk?" I asked no one in particular.

Itachi's eyes brightened. "You want some too?" Just then, Sam passed out, and Itachi put his arm around me. "It's _delicious_ – and that's a guarantee!" he chided, then burst into laughter.

Now _that _was creepy.

Sasuke was taking another bite of his chocolate, when Itachi pulled his arm away from me and snatched it just as Sasuke was about to bite down. So, Sasuke ended up biting air. Nice. Itachi ran off with it, Sasuke chasing after him. Once he caught up, he pounced on his older brother and they began wrestling for it. "_Guys!_" I yelled, and they stopped in an… interesting pose, with Itachi tearing with his mouth at Sasuke's hair and Sasuke grabbing hold onto Itachi's wrist that held the chocolate. I could barely tell who was on top of the other, they were so tangled up. I _think_ Sasuke was the one on the bottom….

Whatever. That doesn't matter anyway. But after a few seconds of staring at me, Sasuke passed out. Itachi jumped to his feet. "It's mine!" He cackled with a hint of insanity. Wait… a _hint _of insanity? How about a _boat load_?

Thinking fast, I tapped into the nearest water affinity, which was Kisame, and created a wave of water that crashed on Itachi, making him soaking wet. He blinked, laughed, and started dancing around in the huge puddle I'd created. Then I tapped into Sasuke's element, and struck him with lightning. Because of the water, he was especially zapped. He laughed even harder. "That was _awesome_!" I frowned, then blew fireballs at him, which hit him dead on. He now had a blackened face and darkened clothes. He coughed out smoke, then giggled. Yes, giggled. However, the giggle turned into a loud, insane laughter. The laughter died slowly, though, and soon Itachi, too, passed out.

I knew for a fact that the only way for chocolate drunken-ness to stop is for the one chocolate drunk to pass out.

I looked at the three unconscious friends lying in different places around the field. I sighed. _Now to lay them down inside – they'll have a Chocolate Hangover tomorrow._

* * *

"I fail to understand how this is funny to you," Itachi muttered, taking another sip of water. He set his water down, and I went to the next bed to see to Sasuke, who was now taking a sip of his own water.

"Actually, I didn't find it funny…. I found it hilarious. In fact, Sasuke found Sam tasted like chocolate 'cause he licked her cheek."

Said duck-butt head spit his water all over me. "I _what_?"

I forced a smile, wiping some of the water from my face. "And Sasuke, I didn't know you tasted like blueberry muffins."

His eye twitched. "Ugh, can you shut the hell up now?" Sam said from yet another bed.

"Nope!" I smiled.

"Oh, fuck you, Natalie…," she muttered, and put her pillow over her head. "I hate you all."

I frowned. "I love you too." I subconsciously realized as I looked at the three of them that I hadn't once gotten sick in my time here. I had gotten a cold once when I was with Mamoru, but that was about it. Then I noticed something. "Say, I wonder if all Uchihas have this problem with chocolate."

Sasuke winced.

"Oh, sorry," I immediately apologized. I had referred to the surviving three, but he might have thought about the past when I said that….

"No; headache," he explained.

Oh.

I went out around sunset that evening; the sky was bleeding with yellows and reds, giving the illusion of the Midis Touch – everything the light touched turned golden. My legs carried me to the village gates, where I gazed at the trees outside. I thought back on all the times I had left here. When Sam, Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, and I left to take Sam to the Sand. When Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, and I left to help Sam and Gaara against the Snake Squad. When we left to search for Sasuke; but ultimately saving both Sasuke _and _Itachi. When I left to search for Deidara when he went missing. And then… when we left for the Land of Waves, towards a battle and a way home.

I smiled slightly. After that… it was a whole different story. A new adventure. I shook my head slightly. I couldn't believe it, that my life had become an adventure worthy to be told. I'd had a completely normal life…. A life where I was never fully satisfied. That I always longed for some sort of adventure. I got the adventure I wanted. Although, I made sacrifices, had wins and losses along the way. It wasn't the fun I had created in my daydreams… but I was satisfied.

My thoughts were interrupted when a weak figure found its way to the gates. I ran for her, for it was a she, and caught her before she fell. My friend smiled at me. "I'm here…. Now the party can… begin…!" Britt said, and fell asleep to get the rest that she obviously needed.

* * *

"Don't get up," I warned.

"Pff, I'm fine," Britt answered, and proceeded to get up. She then crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one leg. "I should probably tell you what happened, right?" she asked with a slight smirk.

I stood. "I don't see why not. And I'm curious, so… yeah."

She smiled. "I was there so long because I was trying to get Orochimaru to be a good guy. It didn't work too well though. They were nice enough not to kill me, but other than that, it didn't go so well. Then, eventually, they kicked me out." She shrugged. "At least I'm alive. Except, I did really try to edge him to the good side…."

I thought back to the note I got from Masashi Kishimoto, and a smile spread across my face. "…I think I have an idea…."

* * *

I didn't remember a thing about what had happened, but I knew my plan had been carried out. It obviously hadn't worked, however. I saw the note on the back of the time machine. It was from Natalie, and it made no sense. That meant I had used the device, but they had beat me by using it as well.

No matter. That hardly mattered at all. After Britt left, I'd just do something else…. I already had another plan, and I'm sure it would work fine. None of them knew I could still go to the real world.

* * *

They hurt me. They _hurt _me. It wasn't an injury that could use a band-aid, or an injury that was easily healed. They hurt me in the _heart_. There wasn't anything I could do to stop them. My dad and mom argued with my sister…. My dad yelled at her not to go. But she left, slamming the door behind her. All I could do was stare after her.

As for Aunt Natalie, she hurt me most. She said it was for the best that they left me behind. I knew it was a lie. I was perfectly fine with them. But without them…. I needed them. They left me, and they only left a few broken pieces behind. I wasn't whole without them. I wasn't a bubbly, cheerful, innocent, sociable, little girl anymore. I was an entirely different person. Someone who, every day, showed a big smile that was all too fake to friends and family to assure them I was okay. I was the one who had to try to cheer up my mom. I felt I had to stand alone, and I didn't find it as fun to stand anymore. I missed having someone to lean on.

On top of that, because of Tobi, I was always afraid. I was afraid of the shadows at night for fear someone hid there. I was afraid to walk the streets alone, and when I did, I was always on alert, afraid that someone might take me out of nowhere again. I could no longer trust easily. I found it hard to trust everyone around me….

Because of them, I was forced to fake a smile every day of my life. Because of them, I was afraid. Because of them, _I _was the one crying in the middle of the night because _I _was the one cut off from who I wanted to see most. Because of them….

I got more into the _Naruto: Shippuden_ series. I watched Sierra and Aunt Natalie's progress through the ninja world. Any liking toward Tobi was gone. It was replaced with hatred. They say hate is a strong word. Well, I still hated him. In fact, whenever I played an imaginary game, I'd always pick someone to be Tobi. In every game, he'd either be killed, or I'd wish upon the love frog to make the Madara side of him go away. Then he'd just be… Tobi.

Sierra, Aunt Natalie, and I used to joke around, saying I was a girl Sasuke, Sierra was a girl Itachi, and Aunt Natalie was a girl Tobi. Now, I knew the meaning of wanting revenge. I wanted to make all three of them pay for what they did. I wanted them to know my pain. I wanted to hurt them back….

Today was one of those rare days I was walking home alone. I'd gone to the park in hopes of finding a friend to take my mind away from all the sad thoughts. It was summer now – August, in fact. But the day was nearing its end now, and it was time to head home. I gazed at the ground, trusting my feet to take me home on their own. I had taken this path many times before; I could take it subconsciously by now. So, I was able to let myself linger on the past. The good days. The days before Aunt Natalie even went missing. When we were all still together….

"Yo."

My head jerked up. _I should have paid more attention…, _was my first thought, but then I saw who the person was. My face paled. It was Tobi. No, it was _Madara_. Madara Uchiha.

Looks like I was back in the game.

* * *

Well, guys, I hoped you liked it. If you didn't, I'm sorry for your... non-enjoyment.

So yeah. Have a nice day!


	24. Chapter 23

My plan seemed quite simple: go to the Akatsuki hideout, and use my super-awesome Kawarigan to tap into the real world's power, and make Orochimaru a good guy. It was a simple plan, but it was going to be difficult to carry out. On top of that, I was only going to tell Britt of my plan. So, I'd be alone on this mission.

"You swear you won't tell anyone?" I asked.

Britt nodded. "You have my word."

"Okay then. However, if I'm not back in two weeks, then I probably need help. After that, you can tell the others. And bring a good amount of people – if I'm in trouble, you'll probably have to face Akatsuki."

She nodded. "Got it; two weeks."

I smiled. "Until then, I'm just… out."

I had to say goodbye to all of my friends, of course. I _tried _to get a hug from Sam. It didn't work. I gave Deidara a hug without asking – he immediately protested, yelling "Hey, no! Get off!" and trying to shove me off of him. Why aren't they huggers? It's so depressing. Although, it did make me feel better when Deidara sensed something and warned me that I better come back alive. Hey, at least I got a good hug from Sierra. Then… I was on my way.

* * *

"So, _Annalisa_, how do you like your guest room on _this_ visit, hmmm?" Madara asked. I knew he was sarcastic. I was in a _cell_. That's not comfortable.

"You're a meanie, you know that?" I asked, trying to glare at him.

He chuckled. "Oh really? I wasn't the one who left you, was I? What did _I _ever do to you, eh?"

I frowned. "You _lied _to me."

He waved his hand in an uncaring gesture. "Technically, I didn't. I said I was Tobi. Tobi can be my… penname, if you will. So, I can be Tobi if I want to be. Tobi is basically another part of me."

"Then you were hiding the truth."

"That I cannot deny, but some things are better left unknown."

I scowled. "You almost made Sam die."

"But that wasn't to you, was it? I did that to her merely because she chose not to be on my side. That, and some sacrifices must be made…."

"You hurt Aunt Natalie. You _kidnapped _her."

"That, Anna, was for the same reason. She chose not to join me."

"You scarred me for life because of what happened!"

"Then I apologize, sincerely. And you have my word. I swear on my clan's grave." He put his hand on his heart.

"You don't care about your clan!"

"Well then, I swear on my _own _grave. If I'm lying, then I die."

"I thought you were immortal," I replied, crossing my arms.

"Only in age, though, my friend. If someone actually has the skill, they can kill me."

"You're not my friend."

"You seemed so fond of me before."

"That was because I thought you were innocent!" I yelled. "How many people have you murdered, anyways, huh? There's _blood _on you hands! You're not the innocent boy I made you out to be!"

"Yes, I've taken lives, but it was for the better."

"How can taking lives be 'better?'"

"It's all for a greater purpose, you see?"

"No, I _don't _see!"

He sighed lightly. "So, do you have an answer? What have I done to hurt you?"

"You hurt my family. That hurt me."

"Ah, but I didn't mean to hurt you. They were only hurt because they chose to be against me. You still have that choice. If you choose to be on my side, I won't hurt you. You won't get hurt. Or you could choose to be against me, and I'd just have to take you down in time."

I frowned, not buying it. "And what, exactly, is that goal you're trying to get to?"

"To create a world of truth."

"Oh, Aunt Natalie told me about that. That's just a crap load of lies!" I didn't cover my mouth after finding I had actually said 'crap.' Sierra said it all the time, and besides, it's not like anyone but Madara would hear me anyway.

"How can you trust your aunt anymore? She left you behind for her own benefit. _She's _the one that lied to you by saying, 'it's for the better.' Am I right?"

"Fine," I pouted, "you got me there. Yes, Aunt Natalie and Sierra were big, fat meanies for leaving me. That's the only thing you're right about, though."

"I wouldn't agree with your opinion that I've been lying about everything but that, but at least you believe me on that point. The question is, will you join me?"

I smiled. "Nope!"

* * *

"I think I've got it!" Itachi called from the kitchen, and walked in the living room.

"You _did_?" I gasped.

I had run nearly out of chocolate after that… incident. So, both Itachi and Sasuke had gone on a mission to somehow use the remaining chocolate to create a cocoa seed, therefore being able to plant a cocoa tree. Then, there would be chocolate forever existing in the Naruto world. Both of them had already accomplished that, right before Natalie left to go… somewhere. We gave her three chocolate cookies for her journey to wherever she happened to be going. Now, though, Itachi was attempting to create something that I had to explain to him – a chocolate doughnut.

I looked in his hand. In it was an exact replica of a doughnut of chocolaty goodness. "Is this right?" he asked, holding it out.

I nodded, gazing at it as though it were the best thing in the world.

He raised an eyebrow, and began waving it back and forth. My eyes followed it. He smirked. "You want it, don't you?" he taunted lightly.

I nodded again.

"Well, Samantha, you cannot have it." He smiled, and I frowned. It was _right in front of me._ If he was smart, he'd keep it away from me instead of taunting me by holding it right in front of my face. Then, slightly angry, I whacked it out of his hand. "Hey!" he cried as he watched it roll back into the kitchen. He sighed. "Okay, we can make doughnuts now; you certainly seem satisfied with the results."

I grinned, and nodded. "This world is now complete."

* * *

I was at my station, hiding behind a boulder, Kawarigan activated. I searched the hideout, and found Orochimaru. Remember those 'switches' I explained to you before? Well, I learned that, if I felt it out, I could tell what each one generally did. Much better than taking random guesses, right?

I zoomed in to Orochimaru's mind and hovered over each of my options. This one made him act like a hippie; that one made him fall in love with the first girl he saw; yet another one turned him into a bunny lover instead of a snake lover…. _Ah, here it is_. It took a few minutes to figure it out, but I eventually tapped into the power of the real world. The biggest problem with this process was the fact that I couldn't mask my chakra while doing it. If I was more skilled, maybe, but not where I was now in skill level.

Then I pulled the switch.

I immediately exited his mind and turned my Kawarigan off to try and lessen the oncoming headache. Of course, Masashi was right. It took a _lot _of chakra. I was light-headed; in fact, I saw stars. Or fireflies, as I once described. It took a lot of chakra just to put him on the right path, but to make it permanent, I was immediately tired out, breathing heavily. _Gotta mask my chakra, _I reminded myself. _Gotta mask my chakra._

"Now, what could _you _be doing here?"

…_Too late. _I looked up at Madara, who was standing atop the hideout, and replied, "I just ran a marathon, how 'bout you?"

"That's a foolish question."

"Okay, okay," I said. "I'mma just gonna leave now. I didn't mean any harm. Seriously. I'll just… go… now."

"I wouldn't be leaving your niece behind again, _Aunt Natalie_."

I looked back at him._ What?_ He held up a noticeably tied up and gagged Anna. I gasped. Who wouldn't? Then I guess I freaked out because I ran forward in attempt to get her, screaming, "_Anna!_" as I ran, all traces of fatigue gone as I was now fueled with adrenaline.

Snakes appeared out of nowhere, holding me down, and Kabuto came out of the hideout's shadow. He smirked, his neck stretching up, then forward. "Crap!" I yelped, then kicked the snakes away. I jumped as high as I could, but Kabuto still bit me.

In the toe.

I began feeling even weaker and more light-headed then before. It was a poison, or a sedative of some sort. The last thing I thought before all went black was, _Hey, what do you know? Kabuto actually did bite my toe…._

* * *

Itachi and I sat on the grass, gazing up at the stars. The sky was much prettier here than it was in the real world. "This is a place I used to go, a long time ago. It was the only place of peace I had…." His voice trailed away into silence. "But let's not dwell on what happened, but what's happening, now."

I smiled. "The stars are pretty."

He chuckled. "Yes. They're very pretty." Then – oh my god – the great Itachi Uchiha was holding my hand.

I'm glad it was dark out, or he would have seen me blush.

"You know, you saved my life," he said. "I owe my life to you."

I gulped. "Are you really willing… to _die _for me?"

At first he didn't answer. Then, "Yes, I am willing to die for you, but that isn't a challenge. This world is filled with grievances that I'd be glad to be rid of through death. The pain, the sadness…. You gave me something special, Samantha. You gave me something to _live _for, and that's a treasure to be held dear."

I smiled. "I'm glad you're still alive, Itachi," I said softly, then turned to him. "I love you…." I leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips.

There was just enough light that I was able to see him smile. "I love you too," he whispered.

* * *

Awwwww... Such a... _cute _ending there. I find it incredibly awkward writing such parts... Oh, and if I don't update next week, just know it's for a reason. Just warning you, in case. Hmmm...

Have a nice day!


	25. Chapter 24

I awoke with a start, and a sore throat, and found myself in a cell. "Shit," I muttered. I sighed, then used my Kawarigan to see if my trick on Orochimaru was still in affect, or if it worked at all.

A scene appeared before my eyes. It was Orochimaru, walking calmly out of the hideout. A few paces out, and Kabuto ran after him "Lord Orochimaru, where are you going?"

He stopped, and turned around, staring at his right-hand man a moment. "…I'm going home."

I stopped it there. I was satisfied; it had seemed to work. I sighed again, then looked around. I needed to find Anna. I needed to make sure she was alright. This was why I decided for her not to come. It was dangerous. And how did she get here in the first place? She didn't come with us…. I looked to my left, and found bars that covered another cell. I could see though them, however, and in that cell was Annalisa.

"Anna!" I cried in relief, crawling over to the bars.

She looked at me, giving one of her 'oh-so-scary' glares. "Go away," she pouted.

I looked behind me: wall. I looked to my left: wall. I looked to my right: bars that showed the hallway. "I can't go anywhere, Anna. I'm stuck here."

"Hmph." She stuck up her chin and looked away.

"Look, Anna, I'm sorry for having to leave you. I really thought it was for the better. I left you behind so you wouldn't get caught up in problems like this. That didn't work, though, I can see…. I'm sorry, Anna."

She didn't answer.

I sighed. "I guess I deserve it anyway. Maybe I shouldn't have left you behind. But who's to say? Life isn't about what could have been. It's what is… and will be."

"I don't even know what that means."

"Sierra and I miss you, you know. A lot. Can you… forgive me?"

She looked at me and was silent. She slowly crawled over to me and sat beside me for a few minutes, deciding on her answer. Eventually, she gave a sort of half-smile of excitement that showed she was going to do something, and was anxious to know my reaction. "Pull my finger," she said softly, holding out her finger through the bar, and I smiled. It's not what you think, I promise. It was something she used to do all the time….

I pulled it. "I love you," she smiled.

I smiled back. "I love you too, Anna." Then we made an awkward attempt at hugging each other through the bars.

Out of my peripheral vision, I saw someone pass by the cells. The person stopped mid-stride, staring at our awkward hug. I turned my head to look at the person, still hugging, and frowned. "What?" I asked.

The person was a she. She wore purple Akatsuki sandals; black, poofy pants; and a dark blue shirt that reminded me of Sasuke's old shirt, just less… revealing, if you know what I mean. Her eyes were dark purple, like Hidan's, and she had long, dark blue-ish black hair that stuck up slightly in the top back. Kinda like Sasuke's, but less pronounced…. Jeez, what was with this girl and Sasuke?

"What are you _doing_?" she asked.

"Hugging," I replied. "Is there something wrong with that?"

She tried to hide a small laugh. "It's just… weird."

"Well, _I'm _weird, so deal with it."

She giggled, and footsteps were heard from down the hall. The girl's smile faded. "I'm gonna go now. I'm trying to avoid that bastard. Sorry I can't help you." Then she started walking away.

"Wait!" I called. "What's your name?"

She turned, and gave me a blank look. "I have no name. …But you can call me Kara." Then she continued walking down the hall.

Anna and I untangled from the bars. "Hey, you want a cookie?" I asked Anna.

She grinned. "Yeah!"

I took out two of the three chocolate cookies Itachi and Sasuke had made and handed one to Anna. I started having the other. The footsteps came closer, to reveal Madara in all his masked glory (note the sarcasm), who stopped in front of our cells. He crossed his arms.

"'Sup?" I greeted. "How are the llamas?"

He ignored my comment and asked, "What are you eating?"

"They're _cookies_," Anna said, waving hers around in front of her. "And you're not having _any _of mine, you _evil_ _person_!"

"Do you believe I actually want it?" he asked in a quizzical tone.

My mind sparked – I could always test that theory of all Uchihas having chocolate problems. I smiled. "I have one more. You should at least _try _it. Be polite for once. It's bad enough you have us locked up in a cell, separated so that we can't even hug."

His visible eye narrowed.

"Please? Just try it! It's not like it's poisoned. We're eating some too. And it's delicious, I swear! Even better than inarizushi, in my opinion." Inarizushi was Madara's favorite food, by the way. Ha.

"Aunt Natalie, don't give him a cookie!" Anna argued. "He doesn't _deserve _a cookie."

"Anna. Everyone deserves to try a cookie. Even if they're cold-hearted bastards."

She gasped. "You said a bad word!"

"Oh crud I did!" I cried. "I must clean my mouth with this cookie's chocolaty goodness!" I then took a huge bite out of my cookie. "Mmm…." I took out the last cookie, and, with pleading eyes, held it out and said, "All you need is to take a little bite…. Pretty please? Pretty please with sugar on top and a cherry with whipped cream and sprinkles and chocolate on the side?"

"What, exactly, is the point of me eating it, anyway?"

"For you to eat your first cookie!" I cried in delight.

He huffed. "Alright. Let's end this absurd conversation. We're arguing over whether I'll eat a _cookie_. Really. Foolish…."

"Boofhead," I grinned.

"…What?"

"Never mind. Just… here." I got up and handed him the cookie, only to sit right back down again. To avoid showing his face, he simply made it so it looked as though his mask wasn't solid. Meaning, he was able to push the cookie through his mask. He took it out again, the cookie barely touched.

"I took a bite, are you satisfied? I… I tried it. Hm. Alright, congratulations. It _is _good. That's not getting you out of that cell, though." Then he walked away, taking the cookie with him.

"Figures. He likes it. Now, we'll see if he gets Chocolate Drunk…."

Anna gasped again. "I thought only _Sam_ could get Chocolate Drunk!"

I smiled. "Maybe not."

* * *

"Aha! I gotcha! _Die! Die! Die!_"

"What are you _doing_?" I cried, witnessing Hidan's sacrifice of an innocent squirrel.

He stared at me. "Sacrificing a squirrel to Jashin."

"_Why?_"

"'Cause that bitch _Natalie _won't let me sacrifice _people_."

"But it's a _squirrel_!" I squealed.

"C'mon Sarah, I need to sacrifice _something_! Squirrels are the only fucking outlet I can _find_!"

"Then sacrifice deer," I shrugged. "You hate deer, I hate deer. Besides, do you really think Jashin would be proud of that? It's only a squirrel…. Right?"

He huffed. "I fucking _hate _this damned deal. Jashin'll make her pay…. Jashin'll make 'em _all _pay!" He cackled evilly, and I rolled my eyes, smiling slightly. You couldn't help but love him anyway.

* * *

Insane laughter echoed through the halls; it was probably heard throughout the hideout. "What the hell are you _doing_?" someone I thought was Kabuto cried.

"I'mma _kite_! Watch me fly! _Wheee!_"

Anna and I were laughing incredibly hard at this point. I felt lightheaded I was laughing so hard.

"You'll set the hideout on _fi-_!" There was a flash down the hall. "Oh shit! _You set the hideout on fire!_"

"_Maddie's a good boy! HAHAHAAA!_"

"Oh my god," I giggled. "This is flarping _hilarious_."

There was a thump, and the noise died down immediately. "They knocked him out," I whispered, then burst into laughter. The laugh turned to a cough, however. A bad cough; the kind that made it feel like you were going to hack out your lungs. Ow.

Kara ran to my cell, and smiled through the bars. "Was it you?" she asked. "What'd you do to him?"

"I gave him chocolate," I grinned, and cleared my throat. The coughing fit seemed to be over.

"Waraigoe!" Zetsu called, and Kara's confused expression turned to annoyance.

"Gotta go," she muttered, then walked off.

* * *

I smiled from the branch where I was hiding. Sarah and Hidan were walking below me. I wanted to use that permanent change thing Natalie mentioned. My aunt and I were pretty much equal, right? Or at least, that's what I believed. I activated my Kawarigan, and zoomed in to Hidan. Hidan wasn't exactly _nice_, so my goal was to actually make him a good guy. Well, that was my _goal_, anyway. Who knew how it would turn out?

I felt out the changes I could create. There was one that made me feel a spark of hope – I decided that was the one to change. It took awhile, but I finally figured out how to tap into the portal powers. I, metaphorically, flipped the switch.

The last thing I remember was being tired, and Hidan putting his hand to his head, muttering, "The hell…?" I didn't even know when I hit the ground.

I awoke the next morning to find Madara leaning against the far wall, arms crossed. "Oh _hi_ Spots!" I greeted in a high voice. "I heard you were a kite yesterday! How'd it go?"

"I'd suggest you shouldn't test my patience," he growled. "I'm not particularly in a good mood. In fact, my mood seems to be especially foul today. So… _don't pester me_."

"You're the one standing right in front of our cells."

"_Someone _has to watch you. I don't completely trust Kabuto, and Zetsu I have spying on little Kaminari."

"Kaminari?" I asked. "Who's that?"

"Kaminari, Kara, Waraigoe, whatever you call her."

"Oh. Kara. Gotcha. Hey, I have a deal. I'll shut up and let you be for the whole day if you get rid of those bars," I suggested, pointing to the bars that separated Anna and I. Surprisingly, Anna wasn't up yet. She was usually up early. Hm. That was strange.

"Alright. Fine."

I forced an overly-sweet smile. I didn't realize sneeze was coming on when I said, "Tha… tha…. _u-CHI-HA!_" I sneezed.

He stared at me.

"What?" I asked, sniffing slightly. "Didn't know your last name sounded like a sneeze? Oh cra- _u-CHI-HA! U-CHI-HA!_" I frowned. "God, I hope this isn't a cold coming on. Now is like the _worst _time to get sick. Can I have a box of tissues or something, in case?"

He sighed, swirled the bars separating Anna and I away, and replaced them with a box of tissues. "There," he muttered. "Now don't bother me."

* * *

"Oh my god, Sam, you won't believe what's going on!" Britt cried.

"What?" I asked, genuinely curious as to why crowds were gathering beside the main roads to the Hokage's house.

"Orochimaru is here! It least, that's what I hear. C'mon! Let's see!" She grabbed my arm and pulled me through the crowd.

"Won't he, um, kill us all?"

"I don't think so! That's what's so awesome! He just sorta walked in the village gates!" Britt shoved our way up to the front of the crowds, so we could watch as the Hokage and Orochimaru both slowly progressed towards one another. When the reached each other, time seemed to stop altogether for a moment. The two Sannin looked into one another's eyes, waiting for the other to do something.

Orochimaru got on his knees and bowed. "I… I'm sorry."

* * *

Yay! Oro's a good guy!

...Other than that, I don't really have much to say here. Huh. Well, have a wonderfully wonderful day!


	26. Chapter 25

"Ugh… I feel like crap…," I moaned. Anna didn't even mention this time that I had said 'crap.'

"I'm sorry, Aunt Natalie," she apologized. "Daddy was sick not all that long ago…. He was off work for over a week. I hope I didn't give that to you."

"No, No, Anna," I mumbled. I had a bad headache, I was shivering, and I felt way too warm. That's never a good sign. "It's not your fault. This is nothing, anyway…. I'm sure it'll pass. 'Cause your Aunt Natalie is awesome like that."

She smiled at me.

That night, Kara came running to our cell. "Help is on the way!" she whispered, playing with the lock.

"What are you doing?" I asked, surprised.

"We're breaking out of here. That world of truth stuff is crap. C'mon, lock…." She kept switching keys, trying to find the right one as quietly as possible. Then, unfortunately, she dropped the keys to the floor, and running was heard from down the hall. "Crap!" she yelped, giving me a horrified look. "I-I'm sorry. I gotta get outta here!" she whispered. I nodded, and she ran like mad.

Then I fell back to sleep. The next morning, I wasn't sure if it was a dream or not. I hoped Kara was okay, nonetheless.

* * *

I took all my anger out on little Kaminari once I found her. Even I admit that wasn't right, but I was incredibly frustrated. I had been frustrated a lot lately. I was confused with myself, and I didn't like being confused. I was a genius – being confused was something didn't exactly like. So, yes, I beat her, locking her in a cell. _She deserves to suffer, going against me like that, _I told myself. _I am a higher power than she is. I am more powerful. She should have recognized that. This is her punishment._

I frowned at myself. _Have I really gotten this far? Am I really hurting others just because their opinions differ from mine?_

I shook my head. _Of course I am. Sacrifices must be made in order to achieve my goal. People like Kara are just obstacles; they are only in my way. If they don't share my opinion, that is their own downfall. It's their own fault. Not mine. _I smiled. _Yes. I am merely making my way toward my goal. That is one of the things that make me so powerful._ I turned, and walked down the hallway.

* * *

"_Sparring time!_" Britt called. "I wanna fight… Hidan!"

Said Jashinist looked up. "Eh?"

Britt made a gesture that said 'bring it on,' and he shrugged, a smirk playing across his lips. "Alrighty then," he said, rolling his shoulders. "But you're gonna regret it!"

"No killing!" Sarah put in.

"Fine," Hidan frowned, and got into a battle stance. "Don't hold back."

"Oh, I won't," Britt promised, and began making hand signs.

Hidan grinned and ran forward, grabbing his scythe. "Ha!" he laughed.

Some water acted as a halo over Britt's head, a ring of fire circling her feet. A staff came up from the ground, which she took, and black wings spread from her back. "Oreos taught me this one," she smirked.

Hidan charged through regardless, swinging his scythe. Britt found an opening, and hit him with the staff straight through his right side. He coughed. "_OW!_" he yelled. "That _hurts_, bitch! I may be immortal, but—" his eyes went wide, and he stopped speaking. "Oh, _fuck_ no…," he whispered, then fell over, clutching his side. "Ah, shit!" he cried. "What the hell? Fuck, fuck, _fuck_! I'm immortal, damn it!" He started gasping for air. _"Fuck!_"

Britt let the water halo, the staff from hell, and the black wings go away. "Oh my god don't die!"

"I… can't… _die, damn it!_"

"Are you okay?" Sarah asked, running over to him.

"…No…." he answered, breathing hard. "Jashin help me," he breathed. "Shit…. _Shit_…." Sarah picked him up, and immediately ran him to the hospital.

Well, that was weird.

There was and awkward silence after that. Until….

"Hey, wait…," Britt said slowly.

"Hm?" I asked.

"Yeah; what?" Sam added.

I glanced at her. A simple 'hm' was perfectly fine.

"Well, If Orochimaru's here… Natalie should be with him."

"_That's _what she was doing?" I asked. "Bringing back that_ stupid, foolish, idiotic, un-artistic, piece of—_"

"Shush up, Deidara," Sam frowned. "We get the point." I 'hmph'd in reply. "So what are you saying?"

"Well, Natalie's probably in trouble."

I sighed. "I knew it, hm. I knew it."

* * *

I stared at Natalie through the cell bars. She was shivering, Anna wrapping her arms around her and glaring at me. Natalie's eyes, however, were more… glassy. "Is Mom back from work…?" she whispered.

"Aunt Natalie, Nani isn't here."

"Oh my god did she die?"

"No…."

Natalie gasped. "Was she eaten by Zetsu?"

Anna giggled. "I don't think so. You're so silly, Aunt Natalie."

My face remained impassive. What did I care if she was sick? I'd kill her off eventually anyway. But…. I frowned. But? But what?

"Hey… it's Tobi…. When did he get here?"

My frown deepened. She was delirious, wasn't she? At least she could recognize what was in front of her.

"Hey, why is milk white? I mean really. It comes from a cow, not a marble. A marble? What am I saying? I don't even know what I'm saying," she babbled.

_She'll __keep going on_, I thought.

"I wanna go to the little cubby hole on the edge of time, I miss that place. It's nice."

_Should I make her fall asleep? No…._

"I wonder where Bob the Magical Unicorn That's Secretly a Janitor is. It would be awesome if he'd take me away to the world of wonders."

_I can't let her go on like this…._

"Swiss cheese! Wait, where did that come from? Ha, it's holy…. Ha, Hidan, the power of Christ compels you! Or is it repels? Oh my god is that a bunny? No, it's a log. Ha, log! _Sasuke's worst enemy._"

_I need to help her_, I decided, and got out the keys. I walked over to the cell, unlocked it, and….

"What are you doing?" Anna asked me, eyes narrowed.

I picked Natalie up. "I am merely keeping her alive. If I am to get her beast, she must _be alive_. Besides, if I extracted her now, she might die in the process," I told her.

Although, I was really saying it more for myself.

* * *

"C'mon guys, hm! We got everyone we need, we need to… go?" I blinked at the scene in Natalie and Sam's backyard.

"Deidara, _heeelllp_!" Sam cried. The Uchiha brothers were playing tug-o-war, and Sam was the rope.

I frowned. "Are they high?" Then I noticed the chocolate bar on the ground near them, and sighed. "Close enough," I muttered as answer to my own question.

Itachi suddenly let go of Sam's arm and pointed at me. "_I'm more mature than you, nah, nah, nah-nah, nah!_" Sam tumbled into Sasuke after Itachi let go, landing on top of Sasuke, successfully toppling both of them over.

I punched Itachi in the face, and he stumbled backwards, staring at me with an eerie blank gaze. He put a hand on his head. "Oh…. Right…."

Sam stood. "_Sasuke you idiot! Today's the day we're supposed to go out to save Natalie!_"

Sasuke jumped up, obviously not affected. Sam kicked him where the sun don't shine, and he fell to the ground, curling into a ball. Itachi and I both winced.

"Owww," the poor Uchiha complained. "Was that really necessary?" He hesitantly stood. "I'm thinking straight now, don't kick me!" he yelled right when Sam threatened to kick again. She faked another attack, grinning at his nervousness.

Itachi chuckled softly. "Come, you two, we need to go."

* * *

Natalie stumbled out the door. "Mom…?"

Seeing her, I ran for her, saying in a commanding tone, "No!" I pushed her back into the room and shoved medicine in her mouth. "If I'm gonna help you, you have to stay _right here_," I muttered menacingly as I nearly threw her back into the bed she was supposed to stay in.

"Dad?" she asked me.

"I am not your father," I growled, sitting myself in a chair nearby.

She pursed her lips. "That tastes disgusting. But I need it, right?"

I didn't reply.

"Hehe… bologna…," she giggled and turned over. "Ponyboy. Heh." Then she went back to sleep.

* * *

I felt perfectly safe. For awhile, I didn't even crack open my eyes. I felt for sure it was my father shoving the medicine that had an abhorrent taste to it. Once, I choked on it, and the guy growled at me, saying something like, "Swallow, fool!" I did so, and decided to open my eyes as he put more in my mouth. After all, my thoughts were beginning to clear, and that voice didn't necessarily sound like my dad. Once my eyes were open, they widened considerably, finding a swirly orange mask right in my face.

I spit the medicine onto his mask and rolled away, falling off the… bed. I was on a bed? When did that happen? I wasn't home! That wasn't my dad. Wait… why the hell was Madara taking care of me? I then had a spaz attack right there on the floor.

"Crap… she's having a seizure, isn't she?"

I sat up quickly, which got me dizzy, and I stared at him. "Maddie, what the hell just happened?" I asked, pointing my index finger at him.

"You were ill." I could hear the frown in his voice. "I was merely keeping you alive."

"Oh really?" I asked, disbelieving. "What was that crappy-tasting so-called 'medicine' you kept putting in my mouth? Huh? That tasted _horrible_! How do I know that couldn't have killed me?"

He held up a bottle. "It's medicine." He threw it to me, and I read the label as he continued, "I had to ask Kabuto for this very concoction, and made it perfectly clear that it was not to be poisoned."

I pursed my lips, stood up, and decidedly ran like hell. He grabbed me by the collar before I even got out the door. "Natalie, you fool," he growled. "You aren't perfectly well, I still have your niece captive, and I have all of the possible exits of this hideout sealed."

…Oh. Right.

"Speaking of which, _I _need to take you back to your cell." He began tugging me out the door.

"Hey; _hey_!"

"What?"

"Can I at least walk _forward_?"

He spun me around quickly and gripped my shoulder tight. "Sure. Why not? It doesn't make a difference."

"So… you liked that cookie from before, huh? Were you enjoying its chocolaty goodness? Huh? Huh?"

"Stop acting like a child."

"Says the 190-or-something-year-old man who acted like a child most of the time not too long ago."

"Touché."

"You didn't answer my question," I frowned, crossing my arms. "Did you like the cookie? A _lot_?"

He sighed. "Yes. I admit it was a delicious treat – something I certainly haven't even _thought _of having in a while."

I shook my head. "You're life's too stressful."

"Hn."

"Hn!"

He turned his head to look at me.

"What?" I asked. "All I did was reply!"

Our conversation died off after that, and we just walked in silence for a few minutes, and I grinned. "Hey…," I realized.

"What now?"

"We just had a perfectly normal, casual conversation!" His grip tightened on my shoulder… and he threw me into the wall. "Ow…. _Someone's _a little touchy. What was _that _for?" I complained.

"I—" he began darkly, but stopped. "I…. I…." He stood there, voice fading into silence.

I got up, and waved my hand in front of his eyehole. "Hallo, are you in there?" He didn't answer. I poked his arm. He fell on his butt with a thump, and he simply sat there. "Uh…. Are you dead? 'Cause if you're dead, that'd be awesome. …No offense." No answer. "Um…. Okay…. Well, uh…. Now what?"

There was a crash heard somewhere else in the hideout. I later learned that this was Kara's new jutsu affecting him. He hadn't been expecting it, so of course he was affected. I sat down, not knowing where to go anyway. I'd just have to wait until he… woke up, I guess.

* * *

"Where's Natalie?" Kara asked. She was scary; I could feel a hateful aura coming off her in waves, and she had a certain feel to her that was… scary. It was a sense of power. I stared at the colorful lines running down her cheeks. Not like Itachi, but…. "_Where is she?_"

I snapped to my senses. "She… she was sick. She's with To— _Madara_." I said his name with understandable hate.

She scowled. "Well, I can break you outta here…."

"No," I answered, shaking my head. "I'm not leaving without Aunt Natalie."

She gave a quick nod. "I'll be back. Help will come, I promise. You'll get outta here. Even if I don't, your friends will. At least, I think you have friends. But… I have to go. I'll be back!" She was gone in a blur – literally. Ninjas were so awesome. I wished I was a ninja….

I was daydreaming about being an awesome ninja like Sasuke when Maddie and Aunt Natalie walked in front of the door. Yeah, I'd adopted the nickname Natalie used for him. Maddie unlocked the cell, and pushed Natalie in. He then relocked the door. Aunt Natalie hugged me, and I grinned. "You're not sick anymore!" I squealed in delight. She laughed.

And help was on the way.

* * *

"Hey, I have a deal for you," I said to the swirly-masked man across the hall. "If I let you extract my beast, will you let me and Anna free?" I put my hands together in a pleading gesture. "Please?" Anna was leaning against me, fast asleep, so she had no idea I was saying this. They had tried to extract me once already – while I was _awake_ – and I had changed into Tobi in a last ditch effort to keep my beast. It had worked, luckily. Next time, they'd try it with me knocked out, though….

There was a pause. If he said yes, I had a ticket outta there. If he said no, then, well, crap. I had had enough of having Zetsu give us small plates of food every day. I was sick of living in a cell. I was just about to think he didn't hear me when he said, "Yes."

Well that was one heck of a deal. I'd be extracted, and I was free!

* * *

Several days later, after Natalie had been extracted, I picked her up by the collar and put her right back in her cell. Did she really think I was that much of a fool? I wasn't letting her free. I glanced down at her. She was unconscious. She wasn't grinning, or smirking, or frowning. She was at peace. I knew she hated me. I didn't care. Or at least, that's what I told myself. I really wasn't all that sure anymore. I had already established there was clearly something wrong with me, but I tried to ignore it. She was just another foolish child. Nothing more. That's what my mind believed.

My heart?

Ha. A heart does not have the ability to feel emotion. It is merely another muscle. A vital organ that keeps a human being alive. So, ask nothing of what my heart felt. It felt a regular pulse, just as any other healthy human being. That's all. No more, no less.

* * *

Oh, dear, dear Maddie can be such an idiot at times. *shakes head* Gotta love him anyway though. I hope you have a nice day! Now... review please?


	27. Chapter 26

Okay... *sigh*

**WARNING**: This chapter is very cliché and may have a hint of Mary-Sue-ness. I greatly apologize, but at the time I wrote this, I was running out of ideas. I even put up a double update, just to ensure I got this little section over with for you. Please stay with me here. After the end of this little point, I've made sure to try and steer clear of any cliché or Mary-Sue-ish things. So after these two chapters, the story gets better. I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.

So... stay with me, please.

* * *

I awoke, back in a cell and feeling odd. Not only did I feel as though a part of me had been ripped out, but something felt… off. I looked down at my hands. They were covered with thin black gloves. I felt my face… and screamed. "_Anna I'm a Tobi help me!_"

She just sorta continued staring at me. How long had she been staring at me? _Okay…,_ I thought. _Remember what Miki said. Embrace who you are. Find yourself, and sustain it…._

Anna sighed in relief when I returned to normal. "I guess you really are a girl Maddie, huh?"

"Wha…?"

"Remember?" She pointed to herself. "I'm Sasuke, Sierra's Itachi, and you're Madara!"

I facepalmed lightly. "Nice job remembering that, Anna," I said. Ha. She said that right in front of Madara himself. _Awkward…. _After a few moments, I smiled at the Madara across the hall. "So? Can we get out now?"

"Nope."

The smile wiped clean off my face. "Hey, we made a deal!"

"You fool…. I'm the 'bad guy.' I break promises all the time."

"That wasn't a promise! That was a clearly made compromise!"

He walked forward, straight through the bars that confined Anna and I within our cell. He leaned toward me. "I still need you. For information. Get it? I'm not letting you out of my grasp."

I frowned and crossed my arms. "Okay, that's just mean."

* * *

I sighed. It was late at night, and not a single light was on. "Hey Zetsu?" I asked. I knew he was hiding in the wall.

The shadow of his head emerged. "Yes? **What do you want?**"

"You're aware Madara's using you, right?"

"**He's not using us, you idiot.** We're just working for him."

I sighed again. "You've noticed how he doesn't really care for you anymore, right? The only thing he does now is order you around. He really only cares for all your clones, and that's just for the war. He doesn't even see you as a person. He's a selfish bastard."

"**Yeah right. I have no idea what you're talking about.**" He was silent a few seconds. "But I have. **What are you talking about?** I'm talking about exactly what Natalie was talking about. **You guys are idiots.**"

"Gee, thanks," I commented.

"**Welcome. Now stop trying to play with our minds.**"

"I'm not _playing _with them, I'm _helping you_. Or at least, I'm trying to." I sighed yet _again_, and he molded back in the wall. I couldn't sleep. How could I sleep now? I thought back on what had happened today. What made Madara who he was, anyway? What was his story? What led him to the darkness?

Everyone had a story.

_If only I could walk through the bars like Maddie could, _I thought, sighing and resting my chin on my hand, closing my eyes. My eyes shot open. _Oh, wait! I _can_! _"Hey Zetsu?" I whispered.

His head peeped out again. "**Now what?**"

I put my hands together in a pleading gesture. "I know this is probably _really _stupid to ask, but… can you undo the seals on the doors to outside?"

"Why? **It's not like you can even get out of the cell without alerting Tobi.**"

I held up my index finger. "Ah, but I have a way to break out." I paused, then added quickly, "And I know you'd probably tell Madara about my escape, but I have a reason for you not to."

"**Oh really? **What's that?"

I smiled and leaned forward slightly. "Madara broke a deal with me. The compromise we made was, in my eyes, perfectly fair, and he broke it. I should be free right now. Even you should know that promises must be kept. You don't even have to let him know you're the one who let us out. Just say you fell asleep or something."

"She has a point. **No she doesn't. **But it's a promise. A promise is something that not even someone from the Akatsuki should break. **Someone from Akatsuki is only loyal to Akatsuki. It's as simple as that. We are to follow Tobi's orders, as he is the leader. **But is he a good leader, anyway? **Of course he is. After all… Tobi's a good boy. **Yeah, Tobi's a good boy, but is he even Tobi anymore?" His dark side sighed. "**Fine. We'll undo the seals. But other than that, we do nothing for you. **We're not helping you get there, and _**we're not joining you**__**.**_" (The bold _and _underlined shall be both of them speaking at the same time.)

I smiled. "That's good enough for now. Thank you. Right now, I just want out."

"**Whatever,**" he answered, and molded back into the wall.

"Anna," I whispered, shaking her. "Anna, I figured out a way out of here!"

She shifted. "You did?" she asked softly. "When are we going?"

"Now. We're going now, Anna."

Her eyes flew open, and she stood. "Really? _Really?_"

I smiled and nodded. "I'm gonna have to be Tobi for a second. Is that okay?"

She frowned, hesitation clear on her face. How could I see her expression? It was nearly pitch black! Meh. "…Sure, Aunt Natalie."

I transformed into dear old Maddie (ahem, _sarcasm_) and walked right through the bars. "I'm gonna suck you out, okay?" I asked in my own voice so as not to freak her out. She nodded. I used the teleportation method and she was soon at my side. I transformed back into myself, and Anna hugged me. What she didn't see was the frown on my face. It was harder – much harder – to be myself than before.

"Now what?" she whispered.

"Run. Follow me. We're getting outta here."

I took off, Anna right at my heels. It was hard for her to keep up, I could see. Unfortunately, she tripped, and we had to stop. Even more unfortunate, she let out a yelp. A yelp that Madara could probably hear. I hoisted Anna onto my back immediately, and rushed even faster down the hall. I made a sharp turn; I was now in a room… the exit was ahead, to the left. _Almost there…._

I ran forward with a new burst of speed, when something knocked me clean out from underneath Annalisa, knocking me into the wall. Anna fell to the ground, right near the door. I looked at the exit. _So close…. It's… it's _right there_…._

Madara loomed over me. "Where do you thing you're going?" he asked menacingly, his single visible eye narrowing.

I smiled despite the circumstances. "You know, you're not as menacing when you have a mask covering your face."

His eye narrowed further. "Fine then," he decided, and took off his mask. "Is this _better_, Natalie?"

I frowned. "Sure." Without the imperfectness of holograms, his face was much clearer now. The bags so clearly seen when he started showing his face to Sasuke in the Japanese anime – and manga – were there, of course. But, other than that, there were just the things called laugh lines. I couldn't help but wonder how he had 'laugh lines.' Really. He never genuinely laughed. In fact, he was the only Uchiha I hadn't seen laugh yet. …That was alive.

He smirked. "You thought you were going to get out, didn't you? You thought you were going to escape the hands of _Akatsuki_. Such foolish dreams you harbor in that imaginative mind of yours."

I fake-pouted. "Hey, I escaped once before! Remember when you first tried to extract me? I fooled you with a _clone_! And it was my first time even making a clone in the first place!"

His smirk widened slightly. "You foolish little girl. I _let _you go. We all knew it was a clone. But I knew you were from the Real world. I knew you had the information the Akatsuki wanted."

I blinked, remembering the way Pain had seemed to look right into my eyes when I peeked out. So… they knew all along. Well, uh, that sucked. "Oh, poo you," I decided to say.

"And no, I wasn't really afraid when you told me you knew my weaknesses," he added, stepping closer.

"Aw, well that stinks."

"Yes, I believe it does. For you, anyway."

"You know what? Pardon my French, but… fuck you. Just… fuck you. You're a cold-hearted bastard, you know that? I know you have a story and all, but jeesh, you're a horrible person. I mean—"

His foot went into my gut – ow – and he grabbed onto my right arm. "Tell me the information I want. Then you can go."

"Nope!" What information could I give him anymore, anyway? The story line had completely changed. He slowly pulled my arm closer to him, until it came out of its socket. I smiled at him. I was 'double-jointed,' my arm came out of its socket all the time. He gave a somewhat sadistic smile, eyes narrowing, and ripped my arm clean off. Tears sprung to my eyes in pain. That _hurt_, damn it!

"Aunt Natalie!" Anna cried.

"Anna, get out! Get out of here! I'll catch up eventually!" I called to her, even though she was only a few feet away.

"I'm not leaving," she said firmly. "I'm not going without you."

I let out a cry of frustration (and pain) and replied, "Fine, but don't watch! You don't need to see this!" On cue, Madara stabbed me in my left shoulder with a kunai and twisted it to make sure it hurt. "The hell, man? I'm not telling you, no matter what you do! There's nothing to say!"

He gave another sadistic look – but it was almost a grin this time – and answered, "Then I'll just have to kill you." I screwed my eyes shut tight in pain when he stabbed me in the stomach. This was going to be one long and painful fight.

…And possibly my last.

* * *

Okay, I admit it. I went a little sadistic on her. I stabbed her repeatedly, twisting some of the kunai so it hurt her even more. Hers would be a slow and painful death. She decided to stand against me, and I would take her down. Anna wasn't an issue. She didn't know as much as Natalie did. I knew that. If she got in my way, though, she'd be dead in an instant.

As I pierced Natalie's skin again and again, blood coloring the grey ground, I grew more and more frustrated. Natalie winced repeatedly, yes. She grimaced in pain, of course. But she still made comments on how I was a foolish bastard. She wasn't acting as one usually would when being attacked. Calm, silent, and incredibly alert. She was calm. She was alert. But she wasn't silent. She didn't seem to be thinking of any moves against me. In fact, it was almost as though she wasn't taking this fight seriously at all.

…And that's what I loved about her.

I began stabbing harder, not hitting any vital organs. She would suffer, and she would die. _Fine…!_ I yelled angrily in my head as I pierced her leg. _I admit it! _I scowled as I sliced the old scar on her arm open. _I… I love her! _I made a final stab right below her heart. She'd die within the next two minutes. I calmly picked up my mask, glaring down at her. Anna was staring at her aunt, utterly speechless.

Natalie looked up at me with curiosity, yet also agony. "…Why?" she asked. A simple question. She just wanted to know why. Why was there death and misery in the world? Why were there people like me? Why was I the way I was? Just… why? That's all. But I didn't answer. I didn't have one, anyway. And besides….

…Those were her last words.

I put my mask back on. Not just the orange, clay mask you know so well, but the mask I've been wearing for quite awhile now. The mask that hides any unwanted emotions. Most emotions I really didn't feel – no regret, no love, no guilt – but…. Now I guess I needed that mask, too. There was an eerie silence hanging in the air, and I swear there was a slight ringing in my ears. I walked away, not looking back. I knew I'd never see her again. Not in this life, or the next. How did I know this?

Because I knew I was going to hell.

* * *

Madara left, and Aunt Natalie didn't move. I slowly crawled over to her. "Aunt Natalie?" I whispered, and shook her lightly. "Are… are you knocked out? You're knocked out, right?" I only noticed I was crying when I saw a tear fall onto her cheek. I leaned forward, putting my ear on her chest. There was nothing but silence. The whole world seemed silent. My breathing came harder, and I began to sob. "Aunt Natalie… wake up!"

* * *

I was the first to the door, and I immediately kicked it down. If my friend was in trouble, I was gonna save her. However, I stopped short in the doorframe. Anna was there, yes. So was Natalie. But Anna was leaning over her, sobbing her little heart out. The others began coming in.

"Holy shit! That fucking fuck-face bitch-ass whore…!" Hidan yelled, obviously swearing profusely.

Natalie was dead again, only this time it wasn't a clone.

"Natalie! Anna!" Sierra cried, and ran for them. Annalisa continued to sob, hugging her sister tight.

"Oh, God…. I hope this isn't my fault," Britt murmured. Sarah began to cry, but not as hard as Anna was. Both Itachi and Sasuke were completely silent. Speechless. Deidara began muttering very… _colorful_ words under his breath. Me? I was in tears.

Zetsu appeared out of the ground. "Tobi _killed _her? That just… **isn't right. Even I agree with that.**"

I sniffed, and Sierra picked up Natalie's body, while also holding Anna on her back. "We'll be leaving now," I said to Zetsu, voice cracking. "Thanks for the sympathy. Goodbye." I turned, headed for the door.

"**Wait.**" I stopped. "We want to come with you."

* * *

We found a girl that reminded me of Sasuke on the way back. She came with us. Apparently she knew Natalie. She called herself Kara. We didn't get off to a good start. She started yelling at Zetsu, which _I _had to stop, then she went on and talked about how Itachi was her new favorite person. She shut up when Deidara snapped at her to 'shut the hell up' and Sierra explained that Natalie was dead.

Natalie's funeral was obviously very depressing. Everyone was wearing black, of course, which made everything seem so much darker than reality. Especially when Sarah, who always wears bright colors and is spastic and hyper, was solemn and… dark. The weather wasn't fitting for the occasion. It was bright and sunny with hardly a cloud in the sky.

"Why the hell is it always _her_?" I yelled, pounding my fist on the table in my house. "_She _was the one captured when we first got here. _She _was the one forced to join Akatsuki! _She _was the one taken captive this time! And _she _was the one who ended up _dead_! Why the hell am _I _never affected, huh? _It isn't fucking fair!_" I sighed, relaxing slightly. "I _hate _the people who make my life a living hell…. Like that _bastard Madara_!"

"Well, I kinda feel bad for him," Sierra said softly.

"For _Madara_?" Agatha asked quizzically. "Okay. I love Tobi, I admit that, but I _hate _Madara."

"Same here," I put in grumpily.

"Madara is such a nincompoop," Mackenzie put in, shaking her head.

"Understatement of the year," Sarah muttered.

"Well we have to do something about this!" Apple put in, eyes flashing green. I had thought they were brown…. Huh.

"Hey, look on the bright side…," Sierra put in.

"Yeah!" Ash agreed. "At least Zetsu's with us now."

"This is so depressing," Sarah sighed.

"I agree," Britt answered quietly.

"It's very sobering," Haru added.

"Wait…," Ashlie said. "What are we going to do about Zetsu? I mean, he's a cannibal, right? He still needs to eat!"

Some of our faces paled, some even turned slightly blue. "I'm gonna make the best steak he's ever tasted," Apple decided. Wait… her eyes were brown again…. "And then I can give him the recipe. Problem solved."

I sighed. Sarah was right. This was _very _depressing.

* * *

Yes, dear readers, I did it again. I died. Again. (Though technically I didn't die the first time...) I sincerely apologize, but... it gets worse... -.- Read on, if you see fit.


	28. Chapter 27

Hang on, we're almost there! This section is almost over! Yay!

**WARNING**: This chapter is _also _very cliché and may have a hint of Mary-Sue-ness. And yes, I'm aware that this part is very stupid. I greatly apologize. Again. But after this chapter, the writing skill gets better. I think. The thing is, at the time I was writing this, my writing skill was actually deteriorating instead of getting better. I think I remember mentioning that in a former chapter...

* * *

I awoke in the morning, just as every other day. It was completely normal. It was back to its original place. The way it was meant to be. The hideout was incredibly quiet. No Natalie ranting and no Anna joking around. Zetsu was gone now. Only Kabuto and I were left, really. I stared in the mirror. Being in limbo…. The energy of the place between worlds had allowed my features to regain some youth. I didn't know why. I didn't care why. I didn't question it. I was immortal anyway.

I put on my mask, and was about to turn and walk out of the bathroom when something in the mirror caught my eye. There was someone sleeping in my bed. I whirled around – how did this person get through the hideout's defenses? I blinked in surprise. No one was there. I shook my head, and walked out into the hall. _My mind is playing tricks. _

I got my usual morning tea, and was about to walk into the other hall when a figure ran past me, seemingly chasing after something that wasn't there. She – yes, it was a girl – turned around and smiled at me. Then she continued running down the hall. I stood, frozen in place. _What the hell is wrong with me…? _

There was no way that could have been Natalie. She was dead. Lifeless. A mere cadaver. And, maybe, someone brought back to life by Impure World Resurrection. But Kabuto hadn't done that yet. I shook my head again, and looked down the hall. No one was there. I looked the other way. Still no one. _See? It's nothing._

Later on, I passed the cells. I frowned at myself when I saw a shadow resting within its bars. And, if I looked close enough… it was breathing. My frown deepened. _I'm seeing things._

So yes, overall it was a normal day.

The next day was the same. I got up and, when putting on my mask, half-expected to see someone in my bed through the mirror again. Nothing. I looked down at the sink. There was still a small piece of that delicious chocolate cookie. I narrowed my eyes at it. It was certainly tempting, but I wasn't going to eat it. Not after what happened _last _time. I decidedly threw it into the garbage. Then I walked out into the hall to get my tea. I still didn't understand why I had a desk. I liked to walk around as I thought, which is why I often wandered around the hideout. I passed the cells again….

…And nearly stepped on the last bit of that delicious chocolate cookie I threw out that morning.

I picked it up, examining it. "_All you need to do is take a little bite…._" My Sharingan immediately activated on instinct, and I whirled to see that there was a shadow in the cell again. "_Pretty please?_"

_Am I really hearing things, too?_

"_Pretty please with sugar on top and whipped cream and sprinkles?_"

_I must be…. Am I going insane? What… the hell? _The shadow disappeared. The bit of cookie remained in my hand. I shook my head. _I'm going to bed early tonight. I obviously need my rest._

I followed my resolve. I went to bed earlier than normal, just as I told myself to do. "_Dad…?_" I heard in my ear. I jumped up at the sound. "_That tastes disgusting…. But I need it, right?_"

_Oh hell no. This must be… a dream, yes._

"_Hehe…. Bologna. Ponyb—"_

The shadow in my bed disappeared. "I've got the Impure World Resurrection ready!" Kabuto called, his voice echoing through the hideout. I blinked, and shook the event off as if it were nothing. I walked briskly to a large room in the hideout, putting on my mask as I went. Kabuto smirked at me when I arrived. "Here it is. You think she'll be worthy to fight in the war?"

I stared at the open coffin. Natalie, in a dark robe, stood there. It was eerie, sure. Someone I had killed not three days ago was standing upright and looking dark and emotionless. I crossed my arms. "Sure; of course. She'll be especially effective against people like that nuisance Samantha."

Kabuto nodded. "I wonder how hard she'll be to control if I release her emotions."

"Personally," I added on, "I'd like to know how she'd react to finding out she's dead."

He chuckled. "Might as well find out." He made a hand sign.

She looked up. "Ah… where am I again?" she asked, rubbing the back of her neck. She looked above her. "And why am I in a coffin? And why are you guys here? Jeesh. If it's a party, it's an epic fail."

"You do realize you're dead, correct?" I asked.

She stared at me for a second. "_Holy shit I'm DEAD? That's _what happened? _Holy crap!_" Her hands went to her head, ruffling her light brown hair. "Gah! What happened? Was I poisoned? Did I blow up? Was it _the Nazis_?"

I blinked. "None of the above," Kabuto smirked. "Madara finally decided to just get rid of you."

She frowned. "Aw, that's mean. And after I gave him that chocolate cookie, too…. Wait." She paused, the event finally dawning in her. "_I _remember now!" She burst into hysterical laughter. "So I'm _dead_, eh, _Maddie_? Well, guess what? You haven't seen the last of me!" She continued to laugh, until Kabuto shut her up and she went back into the ground.

"Well, that was an odd reaction," Kabuto admitted.

"Hn," I answered, and turned away. "I'm going to bed now. I need some rest. I'll be thinking of war plans tomorrow."

"Uh, alright," he replied with a shrug.

When I got into bed again, I ignored the murmurs I heard. My mind was playing tricks. That shadow I saw; it was a trick of the light. Nothing more. "_Dad…?_" the voice repeated.

I frowned. "You be quiet," I whispered.

It stopped after that, and couldn't help but smile. It was my mind after all. "_But why would I stop, dear Maddie, if it's annoying you so much?_" My eyes flew open.

* * *

I was completely confused. I didn't even know what place and time it was; it kept changing. One moment I was sick in bed; the next I was running down the hall at the party, chasing a paper butterfly that Konan had made; then I was back in the cell, handing Maddie a cookie. And, all the while, I kept seeing an image of Deidara's destruction – his transformation into art. Don't ask why. I didn't know. So, the time kept switching….

I didn't even know I was dead.

That was, until I was brought back by Kabuto, which by the way was pretty weird. One of my first thoughts when I found I was dead: _Oh wow, that fortune teller was right about that, too. Madara _did _kill me. That's just _wonderful_. _But then I realized that… I was technically still there. A ghost, if you will. I later learned that the only reason I was still there and my time was mixed up and stuff was because the time machine thing was playing around. It wasn't supposed to be in this world. But still, I was going to annoy the hell out of Madara now.

I was gonna have fun.

I tried to get out of the hideout, but it did me no good. I had to stay near Madara. Why? I didn't know. I still don't know. I have a few theories, but that's about it. It was also bad when the pain I had right before my death came back randomly. Oh well, though. It was also depressing not being in touch with my friends. I was, well, _dead_, after all. I didn't even know if they'd notice me. What worried me most was the image of Deidara's explosion. It could have been a sort of dream of the future. I wasn't exactly sleeping, but I wasn't exactly awake, either. So… yeah.

The coolest part: walking through walls. The funnest and most amusing part: freaking Madara out. He probably thought he was going insane. Ha. But, anyway, I was going to have fun while it lasted. I actually kinda hoped I could, uh, go on living. Stupid wish, but hey, I could dream.

* * *

"C'mon Sierra!" Anna called to me. Her happiness had returned. A mask of cheerfulness that allowed her to escape from Natalie's death…. "You too, uh… Apple!"

"You sure you want to come along, Apple? She can be… annoying," I said.

"Oh, sure," she answered. "I love kids."

"I wanna meet, uh, Sasuke and Sui and Sakura and Naruto and Deidara and… and… yeah." She giggled.

"You already met Sasuke," I put in, catching up to her.

"Piggy back ride?" she asked, and pounced on me.

"Uh, sure, Little Sasuke."

"Little Sasuke?" Apple asked, amused.

"Long story," I answered as Anna got on my back.

We found Deidara first. "What do _you _want, hm?" he scowled.

"_HI!_" Anna greeted, waving.

He sighed and crossed his arms. "Hi. Now go away. I'm not in the mood."

"Fine, Mr. Grumpy," Anna huffed. Apple left to make Zetsu's special steak, in hopes he'd like it, and we next came across Team 7. Well, minus Kakashi, who was probably being tortured by Mackenzie's fangirlisms. By now Anna was off my back, thankfully. Especially since we were now in front of Sasuke himself. I didn't know him all that well, so I didn't exactly know how he'd react to that. Anna and I were five or six years apart, too. Just like him and Itachi. That was what made her and I the girl versions of them. Natalie had been Madara….

Woah, how ironic. Madara killed the girl version of himself. Well, not really, but hey, it sounded funny. If you cut out the fact that now my aunt was dead.

"_Sasuke_!" Anna squealed and pounced on him.

_Eh? Since when is my little sister a Sasuke fangirl?_

"I like hugs," Anna stated, smiling up at him.

He just sorta blinked down at her. "Can you get off?"

She nodded vigorously. "Sure!" She turned to Sakura. "I _love _the pink hair. It's so awesome, _awesome, AWESOME!_" she squealed.

"Hey, what about me?" Naruto joined in.

Anna just sorta cocked her head to the side slowly and said, "You looked weird when you were blue in the game…."

"…What game?"

"Oh, I just lost The Game!" I frowned, facepalming.

Anna hit me. "Now I lost too you meanie!"

Suigetsu was next. She was dancing when she met him. "Uh-huh, Sierra loves you!" she sang.

I clamped my hand over her mouth. "_Shut up! I do not!_"

* * *

Hidan and I just sorta… walked. We walked around the village that day. We were completely silent, which is saying something when we're talking about Hidan. Heck, that's saying something if I'm talking about _me_! "Sarah, I have a question," Hidan said with slight hesitation, as though he still was unsure of what he was saying.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"Well… can you help me with something?"

"Uh, what is it?" I definitely didn't want to help him kill some person.

He stopped. So did I. He was serious about this – a kind of serious that wasn't… Hidan. "Can you teach me?"

I blinked. "Teach you what?"

"…Right… from wrong…?"

"Holy crud! What the heck? Are you okay?" I closely examined him. "Are you sick? Feeling funny at all?" If he wanted to be a good guy, then he'd have to quit being a Jashinist. And if _Hidan _wasn't a _Jashinist_, then, well, he just wasn't Hidan anymore! He'd already lost his immortality; this was proved when he was stabbed in the lung with Britt's staff. First that, then this? He obviously wasn't himself.

"I don't know! There's something fucking wrong with me!"

I blinked at him. "Are… you sure?"

"Fuck no!"

I smiled. "Well, we can try it." Deidara passed by, heading out the village gates. "Hey! Where're _you_ going?" I called.

"I'm going out," he replied simply, and continued on his way.

* * *

_Fuck no, _I thought, running after Madara. It wasn't all that hard to keep up with him. It was like my soul was tied to him. And, really, only my soul was left. …Or something like that. Deidara had challenged him to a fight, and Madara had accepted. Madara allowed Deidara to choose the battlefield. Well, that's where we were going.

The trees suddenly broke, and we were in a large field. Both of them ran ahead as the pain of my death hit me hard. I was falling behind. They passed a hill, and I could no longer see them. Unfortunately, I was getting tired out. The pain was beginning to subside, though, thankfully. I don't see how a spirit getting tired is really possible, but, uh, it happened. I stared up at the sky. It was nice to be outside again. It was nice to breathe the fresh air. It was nice to see a friend. It was just depressing that _he _couldn't see _me_.

The scene where Deidara's death occurred flashed before my eyes again. I blinked, horror gripping my heart. He was going to die… but try and bring Madara down with him. I immediately ran up the hill. "Prepare for the ultimate attack, _Tobi_," Deidara said. I heard the smirk in his voice. I reached the top of the hill, fell to my knees (well… spirit knees, I guess), gripped the grass between my fingers, and screamed as loud as I could, "_DEIDARA_!"

He looked in my direction in confusion just as the black veins began crawling outward from his heart. I was too late. I admit it, I started to cry. When the explosion came, I was enveloped in the light. I closed my eyes. I wouldn't be affected by this. "Prepare for the ultimate attack, _Tobi_." My eyes flew open. The time had jumped backwards, _yes!_ For once I was grateful for the unusual time changes. I screamed his name again, smiling through my now happy tears.

Both turned to look at me. Deidara probably heard nothing but a soft murmur, but he heard it. And Madara, well, of course he heard it. "_Don't do it!_" I yelled.

Maddie turned to Deidara, whose face had gotten slightly pale. "So… I'm not insane, huh?"

* * *

"Sierra?" I called, walking into her bedroom. I didn't like having a different bedroom than her. I was used to our old bunk bed. I was used to… home. I missed home. I missed Mommy. I missed Daddy. I missed… I missed Aunt Natalie. I tried not to think about that though. I didn't like to think about it…. I called my sister's name again, looking over her bed. Sierra was… gone.

* * *

I was headed for the Akatsuki hideout. I know it was stupid, but I saw the good in everyone. Just like Natalie. I knew Madara couldn't be all bad. Or at least, that's what I thought. _There must be a twinge of guilt, a little regret, some form of positive emotion,_ I thought. _Something that shows he's still human. Something that proves that he cares._

I fell into a genjutsu the second I got there. Of course, I didn't know it at first. I thought it strange when the walls around me began turning red, though. Obviously. The walls of that hideout don't usually change to crimson randomly when you arrive. Nor did the walls melt away, leaving only blackness. With nothing to stand on, I began to fall.

_Gee, I hope there's no ground, _I thought, right before feeling the shock of hitting the ground I wished wasn't there. Tobi appeared before me as I sat up. It wasn't Madara, it was just… Tobi.

"_Hi_, Sierra-chan! What's up?" he asked cheerfully, then began his giggle. I couldn't help but smile…. But the giggles turned to dark chuckles as a red light flashed from the eye hole. Madara carefully removed the mask. "Tobi doesn't exist, you foolish little girl. You feel bad for me… but your sympathy is wasted. What could you possibly be sorry for?"

"Well, you've hated people all your life…," I pointed out hesitantly.

His smirk fell. "My own clan turned against me, for that _idiotic _Senju. They wouldn't even accept me anymore. Wouldn't that make you the least bit mad?" asked with a hint of anger.

"Well, yeah, but…."

"But what? You wouldn't _kill _in anger, now, would you? You wouldn't _kill _to prove you're right, _would you_?"

"No," I replied honestly. "I'd rather kill to save a life."

He began circling around me. "You don't want death. Isn't that right?"

I nodded.

"No war. Peace, see? That's what I'm striving towards. But sacrifices must be made on the way. The only way to make it to my goal is to eliminate those who stand in my way."

"But… but… the Moon's Eye Plan is what your big idea is, right? What is peace if it's only an illusion? If you're in control of everything then… then…. What happens to hope?"

He turned his head away. "You're just like the kages. Hope isn't real. It shows a sense of giving up."

"I'm the type who likes to look on the bright side of things…."

"Hn. You are just a fool. _Just like Natalie was_." I winced, and he faded into the darkness. I was forced to watch as the people I now considered family died right in front of me.

First was Deidara, who exploded into flames. The fire literally exploded upwards and outwards, the flames licking the darkness surrounding it. It was beautiful… if you left out the fact the face of Deidara was grinning at me as his skin slowly peeled away, transforming into ash. He'd like that death, I knew, but it still wasn't good. Oddly enough, there was no smoke. Proof that this was only a genjutsu.

Then Suigetsu, who melted in a way much like the wicked witch in _The Wizard of Oz_, as if he were burned by acid. He let out a cry in vain. It's not like I could help him; I couldn't move. He reached upwards, as if hoping to grab onto something. Something to pull him upwards, out of the pain; the agony I knew he was feeling. Well, this illusion of him. It just seemed all too real….

Itachi fell to the ground, coughing hard, blood exploding from his mouth until he collapsed. He clutched his chest, curling into a ball. He kept hacking up blood, as though it happened to be the only thing in his system – no food and such. His mouth was a fountain of crimson liquid. The hacking soon subsided, leaving a soft, pained gurgling from his throat.

Sasuke merely turned to ashes. His face was calm; solemn. His Sharingan was not activated. He didn't look directly at me, but rather _past _me as if her were looking at something only he could see. There was hatred in his eyes. Long-seen hatred. A need for revenge that was never fulfilled. Then… he began blowing away with an unseen and unfelt wind.

Apple died in a similar way, dissolving into blood-tainted sand. She was smiling. Her eyes were cheerful; kind and serene. But then the blood seeped through her clothes, her eyes grew glassy, and she, too, blew away.

Ash went insane right in front of me, killing herself in the process. She laughed hysterically until tears streamed down her face, cascading like small fountains, stray tears dripping to the seemingly empty ground. I think I even saw a little bit of foam at her mouth as she clawed at her own neck. Then the laughter turned to sobs, at which she soon began to hyperventilate… until… she couldn't breathe anymore.

Agatha seemed to be merely a shell, beetles crawling in excess out of her mouth and eyes. It was, to say the least, gross. The bugs were forcing her mouth and eye sockets open; Agatha's shell was overflowing with the insects, making them pour out. It was like that scene Natalie had explained to me very vividly – the one where Itachi was seemingly consumed from the inside by blackbirds. It was like that. Only _Agatha _was being consumed from the inside by _beetles_.

Sarah smiled wide at me, and I smiled back through the tears that now overflowed from my eyes. She kept smiling, even as her eyes rolled back and she fell to her knees, then forward. It was as simple as that. It wasn't all that gruesome, but…. It still took her life. Her… simulated life, I guess. She wasn't really there, if it was a genjutsu.

Haru smiled at me too, a smile that didn't fade either as she was stabbed from the back the blade piercing through her chest. The red blossomed across her chest. Her navy tank kimono top was forever stained red in this nightmare realm. This was another existence that lasted an eternity….

Mackenzie was attacked my millions of needles coming from everywhere at once. It was almost like Haku's Crystal Ice Mirrors jutsu that nearly killed Sasuke so long ago. Although, I couldn't see where they were coming from…. Not even the ones that hit her from my direction. It was almost as though the needles were non-existent, but still left a mark. Then, in her end, a needle pierced straight though her head, passing right through it as if her skull were made of butter.

Britt let out a blood-curdling scream and collapsed. She just kept screaming, her eyes were pupil-less. It was almost as though she were being possessed…. She kept squirming and screeching in pure agony, until she could cry out no more.

Sam stood there, until a sword pierced through her back, the tip of it seen through her mouth, in her throat. The tip was stained crimson, the blood running down into the back of her throat. Her eyes remained wide open, staring at nothing. What was there to look at in this empty black world? Then, her body relaxed, and she fell to her knees. The fell onto her chest, and I noticed her hair was stained red in the back with the sword that had pierced her.

Anna, who was screaming and crying until she literally broke her own heart; her cries slowly became choking sobs. She cried herself to sleep… a sleep that one would never awaken from.

And finally Natalie, brutally murdered, stabbed repeatedly until not a single breath could escape her mouth. A fierce sense of determination on her face slowly deteriorated, soon showing a sense of being desperate, then sadness, and then… finality. She relaxed and her life was over.

Tears cascading down my cheeks, I smiled. "At least this isn't real…."

"The Natalie one actually happened, remember," Madara replied, appearing from the shadows, mask still gone.

"At least she died fighting for what was right…."

"You really do look for the light in things, huh?"

I gave a smile. "Just like my aunt."

I flicker of… was it regret that I saw? My tear-filled eyes went wide. "_I saw that!_" I exclaimed, pointing a finger at him. "There _is _hope for you, admit it! Admit that you're guilty for what you've done!"

"Hope doesn't exist; I've told you that," he answered darkly, and held out a sword. He stabbed me in the shoulder. Um… ow…. He twisted it. Double ow.

"_Stop it, stop it, stop it!_" someone called, her voice echoing in the empty space we occupied. "_Stop torturing my niece! You know she doesn't deserve it, Maddie!_"

"Na… Natalie?" I whispered.

"It's not the genjutsu," Madara said before I could even wonder if it was. He ripped the kunai from my shoulder, a sobered look on his face. "Go," he told me, placing the mask on his face as the blackness faded, leaving the ordinary grey walls of the hideout. "Get out of here. You have no business here." My sight completely cleared – genjutsu gone. "I'd suggest you go to the field nearby in three days." Then, he turned and walked briskly away, me staring after him.

* * *

"What do you _mean _you don't remember?" I cried in exasperation at Deidara. He had been back at the village for a day or two.

"I _mean _I don't know what you're talking about, hm!" he answered in frustration.

"Natalie's _dead_! _How could you forget that?_"

He took a step back. "I-I don't know, Sam!"

"Um…," Sasuke came in.

"Sorry to cut in, but we didn't hear the news either," Itachi said softly.

I whirled around. _"_All of you were _there_! Madara killed Natalie! Don't you remember?" I couldn't help it; tears started to come. Sierra walked in the village gates at that moment. "Sierra! Tell him what happened! Tell him Natalie's _dead_!"

She blinked. "Well, yeah…. She is…." I whirled to give the three a look that said 'See?'

"…And we have to go to a field, by the way."

* * *

I was getting stabbed repeatedly. _Déjà vu…. _He twisted the kunai in some places, making it hurt even more. My arm was lying on the ground beside me, detached and lifeless. _I'm gonna die…._ It began getting harder to breathe. _I can't believe this is my last time…._ My vision started getting cloudy. _It's over, isn't it…? _

He made a final cut, and I looked up at him. "…Why?" I asked, and I began to fall. The darkness swallowed me. A light appeared… a meadow, with some of my old friends waiting for me. Mamoru, Tama, Yasuko, Katsu…. Even my grandpa. I smiled, running towards the comfort. The warmth. The cozyness of the place ahead. The way it felt like home. Mamoru smiled at me… and shook his head. The light began fading….

I opened my eyes to see brown ones above me. "Her eyes are open!" Sam cried in relief. "She's alive! She's alive! I don't know how, but she's _alive_!"

I sat up, putting my hand on my head. I was in a grassy field, many… _living _friends surrounding me. "Uh… hi guys. Whatcha starin' at me for?" And then I was suffocating in what seemed like hundreds of bone-crushing hugs. Luckily, I love hugs.

* * *

...And that's a wrap, peoples! *sigh* Good. The worst of my story is over, now I can relax. Well, except for the reviews I'll be getting... Or lack of reviews... Hm... Well, at least I warned you this time, unlike last time. So... yeah.

Have a wonderfully wonderful day!


	29. Chapter 28

Sierra, Agatha, Sarah, and I stood in the training field. Natalie was alive…. But how? Sierra said that Madara himself told her to go to the field in a few days, but then… did that mean he brought her back to life? How? No…. _Why_?

"I think that… that Madara _likes _Natalie," Sierra whispered.

"_What?_" Sarah screeched. "That's worse than Sasuke liking Sam!" I frowned at her.

"Well, I saw a little regret in his expression when I mentioned her."

"You saw his _face_?" Agatha asked. "Darn it!"

Sierra grinned. "Actually, I saw it _twice_ so _ha_."

"Stop being mean and get on with it," I muttered.

"Well that's mean, Sam. Stop being such a hypocrite," Sierra huffed.

"Meh."

"So, basically, I think Madara's in love with Natalie," Sierra decided.

"Well maybe not _that_," Sarah suggested with a wave of her hand.

"Are you serious?" Agatha asked. "Madara's in love with Natalie? That's so… _cool_. …And disgusting."

"Ummm…." I hummed, eyes wide. "Maybe it's not _love_, maybe it's just… just… his first sign of emotion!" I suggested.

"Well, _good_ emotion," Agatha put in.

"Maybe, but I have an idea on how we can find out," Sierra smiled.

"Oh really?" I asked.

"Yep! We just—"

"Hey… what're you talkin' about?"

I turned to stare at Natalie, who was just walking into the training field. "Uh…," I answered, searching for words.

"We… can't tell you," Sierra said slowly.

"Uh…," Agatha said. "It's a… a surprise! Telling you would give it away!"

Her eyes brightened. "Surprise? I _love _surprises! Like… like… yeah…."

"Right…. It's a surprise…," I said, and tried to smile. I failed, but that happened all the time. She wouldn't be suspicious of it. I hoped. Imagine she found out. That would be… awkward….

* * *

"Can you watch Anna for a minute?" Sierra asked me. Anna grinned. "I have to, uh, go talk with Agatha." Then she walked quickly away, before I had even answered her question. I knew full well she wasn't going to be gone for "a minute," so she could have at least let me agree before she left her.

Anna pulled on the bottom of my shirt, and I looked down at her. "I'm going to the academy soon, isn't that awesome?" she asked me, obviously proud of herself. "I mean, Aunt Natalie and Sierra said it was _maybe _but I'll take that as a yes for now because they're awesome," she babbled. "Especially my sister. She's awesome. No, awesome_ly _awesome!" She giggled.

I blinked at her. She was excited, proud, and incredibly enthusiastic about going to the academy. The reason her aunt and sister were unsure of allowing her into the academy was because they were worried about her. And, quite frankly, I didn't think Natalie wanted to see her niece to grow up to be a ninja, risking her life on every mission. But Anna wanted to prove herself. Anna was… like _I_ used to be.

"Why are you so quiet, Sasuke?" she asked with such innocence.

"It's my personality," I replied, turning away.

"It didn't _used _to be," she pointed out, cocking her head to the side. "You used to be so cute and cheerful and stuff."

I felt a flicker of sadness. I missed those days. The days that were long forgotten. The days that simply couldn't exist anymore. Only in the past. "Well 'used to be' is not '_is_,'" I told her.

She sighed. "Well, can we walk around the village? It's very pretty." She folded her hands behind her back and rocked on the balls of her feet.

"Sure. Why not?" I replied with a shrug. It's not like I cared, as long as we didn't play tea party or something stupid like that.

She squealed and skipped ahead. I followed her, but she soon backtracked and put her small, smooth hand in mine. She smiled up at me, and I gave a soft smile back. In this moment, I felt like _I _was the big brother. And, as we strode forward, I felt as though I were walking alongside the lost, forgotten me, hand in hand.

* * *

"Can I have a hug _this _time?" I asked Deidara, holding out my arms.

He looked at me a second, then frowned and said, "Why not, hm?"

I grinned and glomped him, them held on to him tight. It felt good to be solid again. It felt good to know he noticed me again. Hell, it felt good to be _alive_ again.

_I wonder if she knows that…, _Deidara wondered, his thought drifting away.

"I died?" He looked at me, and I pointed to my head. "I can read thoughts, remember?"

"Oh, right, hm."

I pushed away, grinning. "We're all gonna have a campout," I stated simply, crossing my arms. "After being stuck in that horrible hideout, I want some time outside. And that's what we'll do – a campout!"

"…Uh, don't we camp out whenever we do a mission?"

"Too bad!" I yelped and put my arm around his shoulders, throwing my free arm up in the air. "We're going camping for a day!"

* * *

Nineteen people ended up coming for the campout. We went to a nice spot in the woods. One of the many things I liked about the Naruto world: barely any bugs. They hardly bothered you here, which was awesome. The nineteen people were me (duh), Deidara, Sam, Itachi, Sierra, Suigetsu, Anna, Sasuke, Mackenzie, Naruto, Sarah, Hidan, Karin, Haru, Ash, Kisame, Britt, and Agatha. Unfortunately, an awkward silence settled the moment we found a spot. I frowned at everyone, knowing full well they were thinking about me. I huffed. "Stop being so quiet!" I cried in exasperation after a full minute of stillness. "_Yes, _I know I was dead. _Yes, _I remember everything. Now stop being so quiet and awkward and disturbing or I'll go insane!"

Another pause in sound. "The depression is mine," Sasuke said, setting his sleeping bag in a dent in the ground, and also successfully breaking the tension.

"Depression?" Sam asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He means that hole in the ground," Itachi came in.

"Oh."

To Sasuke's left was Sam, then Itachi, and Kisame. I sat across from the four of them. "Why are you staring at us?" Kisame asked, annoyed.

"We need something to do…," I replied.

"You know," Naruto commented as he laid his sleeping bag out, "I just realized how weird this is…."

"What?" Britt asked, chewing on… she had dango? How did I not notice that? "Weird 'cause there's a shark-man right over there?"

Said shark-man frowned at her. "Well, I like him like that," Ash huffed.

"No," Naruto replied to Britt. "Weird 'cause a lot of the people here used to be my enemy…."

"Damn straight," Hidan responded.

"No swearing!" Sarah blurted. I was surprised when he actually grudgingly obeyed.

"Poor you, Naruto," Agatha put in, ignoring the two. "The Akatsuki trying to get you just because they wanted Kyuu-chan." Pretty much everyone gave her an odd look. "What? Kyuu-chan is my nickname for the nine-tails."

"I think we should play truth or dare!" Sam announced, holing her index finger up high.

"Eh…," I answered indecisively.

"Yeah, truth or dare!" Mackenzie cried.

"_Yay_!" Sierra squealed, flapping her arms excitedly.

"Ow, my ear," Suigetsu complained, having been right next to my hyper niece.

"Sierra, help me with my sleeping bag!" Anna whined in frustration, plopping herself on Sasuke's other side.

"Coming!" Sierra replied.

"Never heard of it," Karin put in, crossing her arms.

"Me neither, hm," Deidara put in.

"Truth or dare is awesometations!" Ash laughed.

"That doesn't help," Hidan frowned. Sam explained the rules, of course. "I say we play!" Hidan grinned.

Haru smiled at me. "I think it should be up to you, Natalie. This _was _your idea after all."

"Well…," I said, thinking. "We can play… but only until everyone has had a turn. Okay? After that, we stop."

Sam sighed. "Fine."

And so, we began. We all got in a circle. It went like this: Sasuke, Sam, Itachi, Kisame, Ash, Sierra, Suigetsu, Naruto, me, Deidara, Agatha, Haru, Karin, Mackenzie, Britt, Hidan, Sarah, Anna, and, well, Sasuke again. "I'll start," Sam grinned.

"Wait!" I interrupted, holding up a hand. "We need a penalty!"

"Maybe anyone who doesn't do what their told can be changed through Kawarigan as their punishment," Sierra suggested.

"But that wouldn't work on us," Haru pointed out.

"Well, we could have some other random penalty, like… like…," Britt began.

"We could change the person they like," Ash grinned, an evil glint in her eye.

"Hey, that's no fair for us!" Hidan argued.

"Too bad," Sam giggled. "Alright, the penalties are set. Sasuke! Truth… or _dare_?"

"Dare," he frowned.

"I dare you… to act like a retarded duck."

His eyes widened, as though he were just jerked awake. "_What_?" he asked. "No way!" He apparently didn't know the rules of this game.

I held up a hand sign, excitement clear on my face. "Oh, Sasuke, then I guess I'll just have to _make _you act like a stupid duck," I smirked. I activated my Kawarigan.

"Don't be mean to Sasuke!" Anna pouted. I laughed at the fact that Karin was about to say something when Anna said that, and was now glaring at my niece.

"Too late," I whispered, barely in my own body. I was concentrating on Sasuke's mind. I smiled wide at the result. At first nothing happened, and he was utterly silent. I was about to think nothing had happened, when he started to squawk, flapping his arms like an idiot.

Nearly everyone laughed. "Well…," Sam sighed. "Since Sasuke kinda _can't…_ I guess _I _can name the next person. "Britt, truth or dare?"

"Dare," she replied confidently.

"I dare you to drink a bottle of hot sauce."

Britt blinked. "We don't _have _any hot sauce." Sam grinned, and pulled a bottle of hot sauce from her pocket.

"Sam, you carry a bottle of _hot sauce _around in your pocket?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe!"

"Bring it on," Britt smirked, snatching the bottle away. Then she drank it all.

"Nice," Haru commented.

"Uh, are you okay?" Naruto asked, cocking his head to the side. Britt had a red face and tears streaming down her cheeks after all.

"I'm fine," she insisted, and coughed. "Sarah, truth or dare?"

"Dare!" she squeaked.

"I dare you… to roll on the ground screaming 'I'm a _caterpillar_!'"

She blinked. "Okay!" She began rolling on the ground. "I'm a _caterpillarrr_!" I burst into laughter at the memory of Itachi doing the same thing. "Okay!" Sarah declared, sitting up. "Naruto, truth or dare?"

"Uh, truth?"

"Hmmm…. How many times have you kissed Sasuke?"

He blinked a few times. "_Only once and it was an accident!_" he yelled.

Sasuke didn't react until five seconds later, when he started squawking angrily. "Calm down, duck boy," Sarah sighed.

"You're turn, Naruto," I said.

"Oh, um, Deidara, truth or dare?"

"Dare, hm."

"Uh…. Let someone draw a mustache on you."

"Pfff," Sam laughed, and got out a random permanent marker. (Where was she getting all this stuff?) I held the poor bomber tight so he wouldn't spaz while Sam tried to put it on.

After Deidara had "grown" a mustache, it was silent a second. "Deidei, your turn," Agatha reminded him.

"Stop calling me that!" he cried, then huffed. "Itachi, truth or dare."

"Dare," he shrugged.

"I dare you to shove a pillow up your shirt, and once the retarded duck thing wears off, walk up to Sasuke and say enthusiastically, 'Look, I'm pregnant!'" Deidara requested dully.

Itachi blinked, turned around, and quietly got a pillow from behind him. I held up a hand sign and released the stupid duck thing on Sasuke. "_Look_ Sasuke!" Itachi cried, suddenly enthusiastic, jumping to his feet. "I'm pregnant!" Then his face was expressionless again, and he sat down, taking the pillow out of his shirt.

"Uh…. What… just… happened?" Sasuke asked very slowly, staring at Itachi.

"We're still playing truth or dare," Ash explained.

"Oh, right…."

"Nice job," Sam told Itachi, appalled at his performance.

He shrugged. "I'm a good actor. Now…. Mackenzie. Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"Hmmm…. I dare you… to… switch clothes with someone here."

Mackenzie smiled. "Okay! Who wants to switch clothes with me?"

"I will!" Sierra offered.

A minute later, Sierra was in Mackenzie's clothes, and vice versa. "Your clothes are small," Mackenzie complained.

"Yours are big," Sierra replied with a grin.

"Okay, Hidan, truth or dare?" Mackenzie asked.

"Dare," he answered matter-of-factly.

"I dare you to call yourself a gay weenie," Mackenzie smiled.

"What? Hell no!" Mackenzie activated her Kawarigan, and Hidan's pupils soon dilated. "I'm a gay weenie!" he exclaimed, and his pupils returned to normal. "Ah, what the hell?" He paused, then remembered it was his turn. "Oh. Sierra, truth or dare?"

"Dare!"

"Uh, I dare you to lick someone's whole face."

"Fine!" Sierra squeaked and ran up to Anna.

"No, ew! Don't lick me!" Anna squealed as Sierra performed her dare.

"Alright, who's next…?" Sierra pondered. "Anna, truth or dare?"

"Dare," she huffed.

"I dare you to… wear your underpants over your clothes and run around yelling that you're Captain Underpants."

Anna giggled. "That's messed up," Hidan muttered. "Captain Underpants? The hell…."

Less than a minute later, Anna was running around yelling "_I'm Captain Underpants! I'm Captain Underpants!_" Sierra herself had to stop her, at which Anna went into a giggle fit. Once it was over, she asked, "Aunt Natalie, truth or dare?"

"Dare," I replied with enthusiasm.

Anna gave me an evil grin. "I _dare _you to tell _Madara _that you _love him_."

I laughed. "Wow, Anna. Just wow." I activated my Kawarigan.

"Wait!" Haru called. "We won't be able to know for sure if you're actually telling him or not!"

"She can try and send it to all of our minds," Sam suggested.

"Um, I can try…," I said hesitantly, and sent an image of what Madara was doing at the moment to everyone but the Riaru, considering I kinda _couldn't _send that to them.

"Aw, I wanted to see…," Sam mumbled.

"It's kinda sketchy, but it works, hm," Deidara commented.

"Alright," I said, tapping into Madara's thoughts. "Hey!" I said aloud, so everyone – and him – could hear me. He stopped walking to wherever he was going. "I just wanted to let you know I love you," I said with sarcasm. "I mean, you killed me! How can I ever thank you?"

"By getting out of my head," he growled, and continued walking.

"Okay. Bye!" I retreated from his mind, also letting the images in my friends' minds fade. "There, I said it," I smirked at Anna. "You never said I couldn't be _sarcastic._" She 'hmph'd and I continued, "Okay, Haru, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to do Caramelldansen for the rest of the game."

Haru smiled and stood, and began doing said dance. "Okay, Agatha, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to pick truth instead." Everyone looked at her. "What? I couldn't come up with a good dare."

"Um, okay then, truth," Agatha shrugged.

"Uh… have you ever forgotten to wear your underpants?"

"Um… no…."

"I have…," Mackenzie came in. We all gave her an odd look.

"Moving on," Agatha put in. "Uh, Sushi, truth or dare?"

"I'm _not _sushi!" Kisame argued.

Agatha shrugged. "Too bad. That's your new nickname. Now answer the question."

He sighed in annoyance. "Fine; dare."

"I dare you to let Anna give you a makeover."

As the blue-skinned man struggled against Itachi and Ash, Anna giggled and did his makeover. When it was over, I must admit it was strange. He had blue skin, so the make-up didn't work the same. Kisame scowled. "Ash, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"Uh…."

"Make her sing 'I'm a Little Teapot!'" Anna suggested happily.

"Yeah!" Sierra squeaked.

"Okay, sing that," Kisame shrugged.

"With all the motions," Sierra added.

"Fine," Ash replied with a slight shrug of her shoulders. She stood and sang, "_I'm a little teapot, short and stout. Here is my handle._" She put a hand on her hip. "_Here is my spout._" She stuck her other arm straight. "_When I get all steamed up, here me shout, 'Tip me over and pour me out!'" _She leaned over as though pouring out the tea. Then she sat down.

"That was a stupid song," Hidan muttered.

"Okay, Karin, truth or dare?" Ash asked her.

"Truth."

"…Have you thought recently about your crush?" Ash asked with a smirk.

Karin's cheeks flushed red. "I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Karin," I sighed, "this is _truth _or dare. And you're obviously not telling the truth."

"F-fine…," Karin muttered hesitantly, taking a quick glance at Sasuke. "Yeah, but who wouldn't?" She giggled, and asked, "Sam, truth or dare?"

"Dare," Sam smirked.

"Hmm…. I dare you to be blindfolded, and allow yourself to kiss the person of my choice. You won't know who it is 'til I say you can take it off."

Sam shrugged. "Okay." She brought a blindfold out of her pocket (What else did she carry around?) and put it on.

I crawled over to Karin. "Make it Sasuke," I whispered in her ear.

"_No!_" she screeched at me.

I sighed. "Fine, but it's the person she would freak out most about."

Karin's pupils noticeably got larger. "Hey, why not? Use Sasuke if you want to." I cocked my head to the side, and Mackenzie waved at me. "_Hey! _I didn't mean to say that!"

"Oh well," I whispered, and led Sasuke over to the blindfolded Sam.

"I'm _waiting_," Sam said impatiently. "Get this over with, will you?"

"No; hey; _no!_" Sasuke whispered to me. "I didn't agree to this either!"

"Too bad," I replied, and shoved him into her. At first Sam was surprised. After all, she had a blindfold on, and we didn't warn her when the forced kisser was coming. We made them kiss for only a second – though I still had to clamp my hand over Karin's mouth so she wouldn't freak out on us. Then Ash let their heads free – yeah, she was holding them together – and Sasuke immediately went back to his spot in the circle, angry, and eye slightly twitching. "Hey, Sam, can you guess who that was?" I asked her.

"Ummm…," she replied. "Is it… Itachi?"

Sasuke facepalmed.

"No," I replied with a slight laugh, lifting my hand from Karin's mouth and going back to my place in the circle. "You can take the blindfold off now."

"Wait…. It wasn't Itachi?" she frowned, and lifted the blindfold. "It seemed like him. Then…. Who was it?"

"Forced kisser, please raise your hand!" I shouted. No one raised their hand, but Sasuke noticeably crossed his arms. "It was Sasuke," I told her with a sigh, and Sam began to freak out.

She screamed, then began spitting on the ground and rubbing her lips clean. Then she stopped abruptly, and looked at Sasuke. "No offence."

He frowned.

"_Anyway,_" Sam continued, "who else is left?"

"Just me," Suigetsu replied.

"Suigetsu, truth or dare?" she asked darkly.

"Dare."

"Kiss the person you least like here for three seconds. That is, _Karin._"

"_What?_" Karin screeched, and Suigetsu just stared in utter horror at an innocently smiling Sam. Of course, I had to force them to kiss, using Kawarigan. Agatha changed Karin, and I changed Suigetsu. They both hated it; how fun. And after that, truth or dare was over, with Haru saying something about a cramp in her side.

"You know what I haven't done yet…?" I asked no one in particular later on. I looked at Deidara, who was talking to Agatha about… something, and began slowly petting his hair. He slowly looked back at me.

"What are you doing?" he asked, giving me an odd look.

I made a chibi face, mouth curling up like a cat's. "Your hair is so _poofy_!" I cried.

Sam cocked her head to the side. "I bet it is, Natalie. I bet it is." She looked at Itachi, and repeated the action I made. Only difference: Itachi was lying on his back, relaxing.

He opened an eye. "…Why are you petting my hair?"

"It's really soft," she grinned. "Silky soft. So, so soft. _Soooffft. _Heh." She turned her head slowly, and stared at Sasuke.

Sensing Sam was staring at him, he turned. "What?"

"Your hair looks so poofy," she said flatly, eyes wide.

"Uh…," he replied, not quite sure how to react. "Yeah…. I guess it's… poofy…."

People were already starting to drop off to sleep, so I began getting comfortable in my sleeping bag, still watching the hair scene, amused. "Can I pet it?" Sam asked, putting a hand out.

He stared at her. "Er, sure?"

Sam squealed and started petting it with an open-mouthed grin on her face. After a minute or so, Sasuke sighed. "I'm, uh, going to bed now…." He turned over in his "depression" and laid down. Sam, half-asleep, kept cuddling his hair. I could tell Sasuke was trying to ignore it as he drifted off to sleep. "Mmm…. Your hair smells like blueberries," Sam murmured.

"That's great, Sam," Sasuke muttered in reply.

Itachi chuckled, and pulled the sleeping bag up so he, too, could go to sleep. With one eye open, probably, but still. After all, _someone _needed to keep some sort of watch. I smiled. Yeah, the campout seemed to be a success.

* * *

Yay! Truth or dare, how fun! Yeah... Okay, I really don't have anything to say after that. Huh. Oh well. Hope you enjoyed it!


	30. Chapter 29

*Sniff*... This is the last chapter... Next Wednesday I'll be putting the epilogue up... Oh, it went by so fast! ...Sad face...

* * *

I awoke early in the morning, and, still half-asleep, realized there was a weight on the top half of my body. I lifted my head and turned, to see…Sam on top of me. "You were really cuddling with my hair all night?" I asked skeptically.

She blinked at me blearily. "Yeah…. I guess I did…." Then she rolled over. …And over, and over, and over, until she was atop Kisame. Itachi was apparently already awake, and was watching exactly what was going on. I sat up, watching. "Mmm, you're cuddly, Kisame," she murmured, snuggling into him, and fell back to sleep.

Kisame stared down at her. "Get off!"

"I know how you can wake her up, Sasuke," Natalie offered, smiling at me. Huh, she was awake too.

"What's that?" I asked, frowning.

"Tickle her feet," she replied happily.

"Uh, someone get her off," Kisame frowned.

I stood, and walked over to her. Then, I tickled her feet, as suggested. She had what I first thought was a seizure – I later learned it to be called a "spaz attack" – and fell off of Kisame, squealing and laughing like crazy. Then she drifted to sleep again. I frowned, and tickled her feet again, producing another "spaz attack." Unfortunately, she kicked me in the face.

"Okay, okay, stop!" she squealed, and I did so. She stopped "spazzing," and sat up.

I gave Natalie a look. "You could have _warned _me she'd respond like that."

"Oh, oops, sorry," she replied innocently. "Didn't mean to put your _precious _face in jeopardy."

* * *

"Alright, are you ready for my idea?" I asked Sarah, Agatha and Sam. They nodded. We were all standing in the training field again. "Well, two of us could go into limbo and create a sort of box of space. A place that's solid. Of course, the two people would have to be strong-willed, and of the Riaru clan. Anyone come to mind?"

Sam raised her hand. "Me; I once had a voice in my head. His name was Jimmy, but I was able to keep my sanity, and stay alive when he tried to kill me."

"How'd he try to kill you?" I asked.

"You don't want to know."

"Oh!" Agatha realized. "I'm strong-willed 'cause I have Muse!"

Sam blinked. "_Ohhh_, so Muse is a voice in your head?" she asked.

"Aha…. Something like that, yeah."

"Cool!" I enthused, and Sarah agreed by grinning.

"Okay, so we have a box-room-thing in the warp. Now what?" Sam asked.

"Well, we stick Natalie and Madara in there, and see what happens," I stated. "Not all that great of a plan, but it's the only one I got."

"Are you _insane_?" Sam asked. "Natalie could end up dead again!"

"Maybe I _am _insane, and no, she couldn't. By creating the box with your chakra, it takes away the chakra power of the people inside, and we'll make the two get rid of their weapons before they go in," I explained.

"But how do we get them in there?" Sarah asked.

"Well, we can put Natalie in first, and then Madara can go in without him knowing she's in there… or something."

Agatha shrugged. "Works for me."

"Me too, I guess," Sam put in.

"Why not? Let's try it!" Sarah agreed with enthusiasm.

I smiled wide, and activated my Kawarigan. "I'll send Madara the message right now." I tapped into Madara's mind, and spoke aloud so the others knew what I was telling him. "_Hi!_"

"Sierra, Natalie's niece… isn't it?" he asked, none too thrilled to hear me. How nice of him. Jeez.

"This is not a genjutsu," I said coldly, imitating his words from before. "I suggest you go to the field nearby in three days." Then I retreated and blinked, back in the training field. "It seems to be a go."

* * *

I was thinking at my desk. _Why_, exactly, had this happened? I was Madara Uchiha; I didn't easily… feel emotions such as this. Being the genius I was, I figured it out eventually. It was that battle at the Land of Waves. Natalie must have changed something without knowing it during that battle. How had it lasted this long? Well, for the same reason Orochimaru was changed for good. It had something to do with the energy of that island, combined with the lightning. Thus, it was a slow change that lasted until someone switched it off.

And that was when I was told to go to the field again in three days.

* * *

"Uh, guys, you know we're not supposed to use the portal," Natalie said nervously.

"It'll be fine," I assured her. "We're opening up one side of the portal, so we can see what limbo is like. I know there was an awesome game called Limbo, but it's probably not like the real thing."

"Sam, how do you expect to do that?" Natalie frowned.

"While Sierra is opening the portal on one side, I'll be in limbo keeping the other side closed," Agatha grinned.

"I thought you said you were making the room in there," Natalie countered.

"I am. I'm doing both at the same time, 'cause I got awesome willpower. …Or something like that."

"Um, okay…," Natalie said, and Sierra opened the portal. Agatha jumped in and closed the other side before she got there, and I jumped in next. It was cool. It was mostly red, with swirls of other color everywhere. Nothing was solid, it was all fluid. I focused my chakra at my hands, Agatha doing the same and putting her hands against mine. I swear I saw a figure split off from Agatha, keeping the portal closed.

_Muse…?_ I guessed. We spread our hands apart, backing apart until we had created a rectangle box in the middle of limbo. I swear I saw some guy come from my own body, going to another corner of the box to keep it stable. I blinked. The figure looked a hell of a lot like Jimmy. Scary. Then Natalie got in, looking around in wonder….

* * *

I stood in a small room. It didn't feel like it was in limbo; it seemed solid enough. The walls, floor, and ceiling were a pale yellow. I smiled. "Not half-bad," I said to no one in particular.

I turned back around to face where I had come, and freaked out immediately. Who wouldn't freak out if you realized you were in a small room with a Madara? And a maskless Madara, too…. Why was he maskless? Madara sighed and crossed his arms, glaring at me. "Of course," he frowned. "I should have known this was their plan. They took your weapons too?" I nodded dumbly. Madara scared me now. He'd, well, killed me, after all. "Hmph." He looked around. "And this is a chakra-made room; we can't use chakra in it. On top of that," he said, looking back, "we can't get out. What is this? A poor attempt at making peace? Fools…."

"Um… kick the walls down?" I suggested.

"We can't," he frowned, looking at me as if I were stupid. "It's made of chakra, it's not going to work."

An awkward silence followed. "So…," I said, drawing it out. "Now what? We gotta do _something _while we wait to get outta here, right?"

"What are you suggesting?" he asked in a cold tone, eyes narrowing.

"Um, we can talk about stuff. Like, uh…. This box seems to be lit, even though there's no light. Weird, huh?"

He blinked. "The walls are made of chakra. It gives off light naturally."

"…Oh. Well then, let's talk about… chocolate! How 'bout that chocolate, eh? Did you know both Sasuke and Itachi got Chocolate Drunk?"

"Ha," he replied dryly, leaning against a wall.

"I'll take that as a no…. Um…. Hey, I have a question." He didn't reply. I frowned. "Fine, play the silent treatment," I huffed. "My _question _was pretty important to me, too. My question is… why did you… kill me?"

He looked up. "You were in my way. You were just an obstacle that I needed to be rid of."

I blinked. "Gee, you're nice," I commented.

"Hn."

"Now… how am I alive?"

He blinked at me. "I don't know that," he frowned. "Quite frankly, I wish you were dead."

I squinted at him, feeling out his emotions with the Riaru power. "You're lying…."

His eyes narrowed. "I may be 'evil' in your eyes, but I do _not _lie. The most I ever do is hide the truth."

"Then you're hiding something," I said decidedly.

"I hide a lot of things."

"You're being vague."

"I've been vague more than once before."

"So? Stop being vague!"

"I can be what I wish. I am more powerful than you."

"Stop being so arrogant!" I cried. "You act like you're almighty when you're not!"

"You're wrong. I'm not below praising my enemies when they are worthy to have an applause."

"Well, fine!"

"Alright," he shrugged.

I frowned at him. "You know, you could be a little bit nicer," I huffed.

"I don't think that's a part of my personality."

"Too bad! I know you're a good actor."

"You _are _right on that point. _Because Tobi's a good boy!_" he squealed, face immediately going cold again the moment he finished the sentence.

"That… was scary."

"Good for you," he answered.

"Why are you so mean, Maddie?" I asked innocently.

"I'm not 'mean,'" he replied.

I frowned. "Yeah you are. How many people have you killed again? In cold blood, I mean."

"Lost count."

It sparked my anger at how nonchalant he was about all this. "Do you even _care _about the fact that you're ruining lives?"

He didn't answer.

"You don't, do you?"

No answer. He simply leaned against the wall, calm and seemingly emotionless.

I tried to punch him in the face, but he merely moved to the side at the last moment, making me punch the wall. "Do you even care about the innocents? They have feelings that you don't even _care _to recognize!" I gripped his wrists tight, and he let me dig my nails into his skin. It hardly affected him anyway. "You know what?" I hissed. "You _are _a heartless bastard. You care for no one but yourself. All you want is to create your own reality, and escape from what's really going on, huh? But you can't deny the pain you've caused to reach that selfish goal! You are a _fool_. Of _all _the people I know, _you _are the most foolish. I can even say I hate you. And I don't hate many people."

It was his turn to shove _me _against the wall. "You know, this is the first time I've seen you this hateful," he said carefully and calmly, even though he was holding my wrists so tight I could feel my hands falling asleep and I could imagine my bones breaking from the strain. "And by the way… I suppose you're right. I can be a fool sometimes. Everyone makes mistakes. I make mistakes, just like everybody else." _I just don't understand how to forgive myself, _his thoughts murmured, making my eyes widen. I stared at him. Was he…?

"But… _you're also wrong,_" he said slowly. "How the hell do you think you know every aspect of who I am? Not even a Riaru can see everything. How exactly do you know I care for no one but myself? 'Innocents have feelings that I don't even care to recognize?' Well, guess what? I'm still human. I have emotions, that you don't seem to see at all." _Some of them I don't understand myself…. _"Are you a hypocrite, Natalie? Are you not following your own rules? Judge someone by their actions, right? You have no idea some of the things I've done. You don't know how _I _actually _helped _you. You'll never know."

"Emotions, eh?" I asked, kinda scared half out of my wits. "What kind of emotions?" He looked at me for a second. He just sorta stared into my eyes. It was kinda creepy. Luckily, Sharingan couldn't be activated, simply because chakra couldn't work. So we just… stood there for a bit. I could see very clear indecision in his eyes. Confusion, even. _What is he confused about? _I wondered. _What is he trying to decide? _Then the indecision clouding his eyes cleared, showing resolve.

…Then he kissed me.

Already having been scared half out of my wits, my eyes stayed wide open, and it took a second or two to process what, exactly, was happening. He pulled away. "Love is an emotion," he said, trying, and failing, to sound emotionless. I still didn't get what was going on, even as he let go of my wrists and just stood there.

"Wh-what kind of… of trick is this?" I sputtered.

"It's not."

"B-but I—You—What just happened? Wha—How—_Why_? What could you possibly expect to gain from this? You… you killed me! This doesn't make sense…. How does this make sense?" I flailed for an answer. "Th-this…. I don't get it!" I stared at his expression. He wasn't lying. "Holy shit…," I breathed. "Do you… really think… we could be? At all?"

The impassiveness returned to his features. "No."

"Then… then… why-?"

"Forget it," he said simply. "This never happened."

"Hey, hey, wait a minute here. You don't have to stay a bad guy. We could be friends…. You don't have to stand alone. You could come to the Leaf and…."

"No."

It went silent after that, creating an awkward, uncomfortable silence. _Very _awkward and uncomfortable. I knocked on the wall hard enough that they could hear me outside. "Hey, guys?" I called. "Can you let us out? It's getting all sorts of awkward in here!"

Sam's head peeked through the wall. "Hm, I guess we'll let you out."

* * *

"So… what happened in there?" Agatha asked.

"Yeah, what happened, anyway?" Sam added.

"Tell us!" Sierra squeaked.

"At least you were _there_!" Sarah frowned.

I shook my head. "Why'd you do that?"

"Reasons beyond your concern," Sam replied. "Now what happened? What'd you learn? Did you learn anything?"

I blinked and looked down. '_Forget it. This never happened.' _I smiled at them. "I learned… that he has feelings." I would give no further information on that topic. I knew I shouldn't have beaten myself up about it, but I felt kind of guilty. I had hated him thoroughly. I had forgotten, again, what could even be my motto: everyone has a story. I guess I sorta forgot that after he, uh, killed me. It made it harder to see the good in someone when you were the victim.

A day or two after we were back in the Leaf, however, a messenger bird came and sent us a message:

_In five days time, I shall expect you to be near the hideout you know so clearly the location of for war. I suggest you be there, or consequences will take place._

It wasn't signed, but we knew who it was from. It was easy. I'll give you three guesses….

Yep. It was the dear Maddie we know and love. Looks like it was back to the old game.

* * *

Five days had passed already, and I was making the final preparations. I pulled at the thin piece of invisible string with my teeth. I had set up an intricate system of paper bombs, all around the hideout. They were set to go off in about an hour; and I knew they'd be here by then. I had recently learned a new emotion: guilt. And I had a lot of it. I also had a lot of anger, but that was a feeling I knew well.

I placed another paper bomb inside the wall, using my teleportation jutsu to be able to do so. When these went off, this part of the hideout would entirely collapse. The rest would go up in flames. _Perfect for 'Deidara-senpai…,' _I thought bitterly. I placed them everywhere, all connected by the invisible thread to make sure they all went off.

Well, I put them everywhere but the room by the front exit. The explosives were surrounding the area, but they wouldn't hurt the only escape. They'd make the back of the room go up in flames from the force and heat of the explosives down the hall, however. I smiled at myself as I finished the last one. With a dry chuckle, I thought, _I'm going to be an actor 'til the very end…._

* * *

The field was full of Zetsu clones and zombies when we got there. Everyone had come to this battle. Every one of the Riaru, along with Team 7…. Hell, all the teams were here. Deidara, Itachi, Sasuke, Hidan, Kisame, Zetsu, Orochimaru, and Kara were here, too. Then there was also Pain and Konan, with some Rain ninja. Apple and Gaara, with Sand ninja. It was everyone against everyone. The only one who couldn't come was Anna, who was told to stay behind.

"Let's do this!" Naruto cried, throwing a fist in the air, and the two sides clashed.

"Where the hell is that bastard Madara?" Kara yelled angrily, fighting a strong Zetsu clone. Madara must have strengthened them. "He's number one on my hate list!"

"Who's the rest?" I asked, curious, while fighting someone who looked like Sai's brother. Maybe it was.

"Madara, Sam, Zetsu, Sakura… and Sam again," she replied with a grunt as she defeated that Zetsu.

"Hey!" Sam called.

"Sam; Sierra!" Natalie called. "Come here!"

Sam and Sierra ran over to her, avoiding a giant shurikan flying through the air. "We're going to the hideout," Natalie told them. "We need to find Madara. Maybe we can beat him."

"Can I come?" I asked, kicking Sai's brother in the face.

"No, Sarah," Natalie replied. I frowned and began tying my enemy up so he could be sealed by someone.

"Can I?" Agatha called. "I need to avenge my hair!"

Natalie sighed. "Fine. Both of you can come."

So, we began chakra-jumping our way to the hideout. I loved being a ninja.

* * *

"Apple?" I asked as she screamed something about avenging Natalie. Her green eyes flashed, and her hair went red.

"I'm not Apple right now," she growled. "I'm _Pepper._" Then she attacked the Zetsus and the zombies with an incredible ferocity. She later told me that Pepper was her alter-ego; who she became when she was angry. And she happened to be angry right then.

I blinked in worry at her, then continued to fight with my sand.

* * *

We burst through the door, and Madara was waiting for us in the back of the front room. He stepped forward. "Welcome," he said in a dark tone. I stared at him, scrutinizing him to see if I could catch a hint of that emotion from before. Sam looked from me to him, trying to figure out what I was doing or looking for.

Agatha let out a battle cry, and ran up to punch him right in the face as hard as she could. I expected her to go through him, but she didn't. She hit him, _hard._ But he didn't flinch. That must have hurt, though. His entire mask would have taken the impact, transferring the punch to his entire face. Ow. "That's for Natalie! And my hair!" Agatha yelled.

He grabbed her by the collar, and threw her back to us. Outside, I heard a sort of cry of pain. "That was Shikamaru!" Agatha said, then ran outside with a wave to us. Now it was just me, Sarah, Sam, and Sierra against Madara Uchiha. I launched into attack mode, throwing a series of kicks and punches that I allowed to come instinctively so as to not let him sense it with his Sharingan. Having Sarah, Sam, and Sierra with me allowed the attack to come from all sides.

He kept dodging though, either allowing the attack to pass through him or moving out of the way. However, I made a punch… and he skidded backwards with the impact. _I actually made a hit! _I exclaimed in my head in utter surprise. Either I've gotten incredibly strong, or… _he's not trying_. Sam threw shurikan at him as his feet slid a short distance of the floor. All of the shurikan hit him dead on, but he merely straightened up and ripped them out of his torso.

Sierra threw two kunai. Both left a gash on either arm. He continued walking forward, and we engaged in a fight again. None of us were really hurt too much. He mostly just dodged, and occasionally got hit. "Is that all you got?" he taunted. "I'm sure you can do better." A sizzling was heard in the background, and we stopped, wondering what it was. "I'd suggest you'd get out," Madara said slowly.

We took a step back.

"Time is running out; I wouldn't want you to _die_," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

I took a hesitant step backwards, as a flash that kept getting brighter came from down the hall, along with a loud eruption of noise. So he had been delaying us by letting us hurt him. He was dragging the fight out so we'd be here when the explosion came. "Take cover!" I yelled, and we all ducked down. Even with my eyes closed I could see what was going on. I had tapped into a hidden camera without knowing it.

Madara smiled under the mask right before the explosion came. You'd think he'd disappear right before it happened, but he stayed solid. "Bye," I swear I heard him whisper when the shockwave came, the hallway bursting into flames. The explosion knocked him off his feet, and he slammed into the wall beside him, face-first. I heard his clay mask shatter against the wall. …I also heard his spine snap.

The hideout began collapsing, and we ran outside, away from the crackle of the fire, hoping to get out before it got to us. We were fine. The door was nearby after all.

* * *

"No!" Sam cried. "Pain, you weren't supposed to _die_!" she sobbed, kneeling beside Yahiko's body. Not all aspects of life could be happy, unfortunately.

"His life was cut short," Konan murmured, expression sad. With a wave of Konan's hand, Sam got up, and she wrapped the body in paper. "I'll go get Nagato's body as well," she said in a whisper, and disappeared. The battle was over. Bodies were strewn across the entire field. It was over. It was _all _over.

Madara Uchiha was dead.

In somewhat of a daze, I walked towards the still-smoldering trees. "Natalie, where are you going?" Sam asked, but I didn't respond. She walked behind me, curious. When I reached what was left of the hideout, I found, to my surprise, that the entrance was still intact. Even if we had stayed where we were before, we'd be fine. The explosion hadn't hurt the only available exit at all.

I looked through some of the pieces of rubble, trying to find something. "What are you looking for?" Sam asked. "You know Madara's gone by now. He's not—" She stared down. "Holy crap."

Yes, readers, I had found Madara's body. His eyes were closed, and there was still a light smile on his face. He had done this on purpose. He… he had killed himself? Had he? The great, all-powerful Madara Uchiha had gone suicidal? A more fitting death for him would be to be killed in battle by Itachi Uchiha. But that didn't happen.

Of course, no one else realized he had done this on purpose. No one realized that he may have actually become good in the end. No. Everyone stayed completely oblivious, rejoicing that the horrible Madara Uchiha had finally been rid of this world. He had kind of a funeral in Konoha, where we buried him outside the city walls then had a big party in celebration of his death.

I didn't really have as much fun as everyone else. I was the only one who knew the truth, so it kinda seemed as though everyone else was foolish to not realize it. It's sometimes hard to put yourself in someone else's shoes. To detach yourself from knowledge you simply can't forget. Like… for example, say you're a die-hard Narutard. (Ha, that rhymes.) Now, try to imagine being in the shoes of someone who has no idea what Naruto is. Kinda difficult, right?

Either way, everyone but me was all happy and stuff. Anna was one of the happiest, since not only did she hate Madara, but she was already a happy person in the first place. I was also riddled with guilt, however. I had hated him too. And now he was dead. When I thought no one was looking, I headed to his grave. The least they could do was bury him in his own village. But would he want that anyway? Pff… probably not.

I frowned at the rectangle of upturned dirt. They didn't even put a gravestone there. Over time, the grass would grow back, and it would be as though he wasn't even here. He'd live on through memories and stories, though. But they were all bad thoughts; bad memories; bad stories. He'd be remembered as an evil, cold-hearted bastard of a man. I couldn't let that happen. Everyone deserved a second chance, right? Even someone like Madara.

An idea forming in my brain, I began to dig. _"You know, Madara's the one who brought you back to life,"_ Sierra had commented earlier on, when I was still at the big Konoha party. It was a shallow grave, so it didn't take long to find him. He wasn't smiling anymore. His expression was emotionless, yet… at peace. _I might as well return the favor…. It would only be fair. _Remember that "big switch" I had mentioned before, when I first got Kawarigan? The one that I knew would take up a hell of an amount of chakra? Well, guess what it did? It controlled whether the person was dead or alive.

My chakra was completely replenished from the little bit of food I ate at the party, and I wasn't too sleep-deprived. I could bring him to life. Could I tap into the limbo-power and keep him that way? Not so sure. I found the switch quickly and easily, and tapped into the power of the 'warp' in half the time it took last time I tried it. Then I pulled the metaphoric switch.

I immediately turned Kawarigan off as a wave of fatigue washed over me. The world around me got bright, and the boundaries between objects began to waver. It was still taking my energy… having to mend his spine to make sure he wouldn't die again straight away. The jutsu was still sucking out my energy.

I blinked hard when black rimmed my sight. I could barely feel my own body anymore; it was harder to control it. I felt balance beginning to fail me. _I need to sit down_, I thought, then realized I was somehow already sitting. _Did I fall…? _The sound of the birds sounded weird…. As though something was blocking out the sound of the world, and none of it could break the barrier. …Like I was in a bubble. But… my own breathing sounded off, too. Okay, like my _ears _were in a bubble.

Speaking of breathing, it was getting harder to do that. _Gotta… stay… awake…._ I felt my heart thumping incredibly fast. I felt the light-headedness of being dizzy. I felt myself falling. Then… I felt nothing.

* * *

"Natalie!" I cried as she fell over. What was she _doing_? I had followed her out here. She had been acting… _off_ during the Leaf village party, so I figured it would be smart to make sure she was okay. I was glad I did so. I ran over to my aunt and grabbed her, putting her over my shoulder. I looked down at Madara. Natalie had dug him up? I saw his finger twitch, and nearly screamed. _Holy _crap _he's _alive_?_ Without another thought, I grabbed him, too, and rushed them both to the hospital.

* * *

_Beep…._

Well, that was an annoying noise. It'd be even more annoying if it were repetitive….

_Beep…._

Aw, crap. It was repetitive. Say, where was I? What had happened?

_Beep…._

…And what was that beeping noise? It was annoying.

_Beep…._

Above the beeping, I began hearing hushed murmurs.

_Beep…._

I tried opening my bleary eyes, and squinted in the new light. The murmurs became clearer, and I noticed the beeping had a rhythmic pattern. "She was out for five days…," someone whispered.

"At least she's alive…."

"But what about Madara? How's he here again?"

The memory of what had happened came down on me, making me dizzy again. I blinked, trying to get my eyes to adjust. Sam, Deidara, Sierra, and Sarah were in the room at the moment. "Guys…," I whispered. My voice wasn't working all that well, so I had to exert a lot of air to say that single word. It made me dizzy. Again.

Everyone looked at me. "You're awake!" Sarah and Sierra squeaked.

I smiled lightly, but it faded quickly. "Is…?"

Sierra pointed to the other side of the room. There was Madara, breathing steadily, connected to an EKG. _Found where the beeping is coming from. _I smiled, and looked around me. I was surrounded by friends. I had saved a life. Life seemed pretty good right then. And then, I drifted back to sleep to get the rest I obviously needed.

* * *

Well then, you didn't expect Madara to commit suicide, now, did you? Well... next Wednesday I'll be putting up the epilogue... I hope you liked this story, with its high points and low points... Have a wonderfully wonderful day!


	31. Epilogue

GAH! I'm putting this up now because I just remembered that I'll be AT CAMP all next week! So I wouldn't be able to update! Here you go! Enjoy! I like exclamation points!

* * *

Epilogue

"You are such a boofhead," Itachi said, and poked his little brother's forehead.

"Nooo, _you're _a boofhead," he replied, and poked him back.

_We've been through this before, _I thought with a chuckle.

"Stop lying to yourself, you silly little boofhead." _Poke._

"You're in denial, you boofhead!" _Poke._

"You're _both _boofheads!" _Clunk. _Madara knocked the brothers' heads together, sounding annoyed but smirking lightly.

Maddie had been furious with me at first for bringing him back to life, but he eventually found that he, too, deserved another chance. Lady Tsunade got mad at me, too, yelling at me that the Leaf wasn't going to take in yet another S-ranked criminal. They had, after all, already taken in quite a few. Luckily, a little bit of persuading from a few of us got her to accept him.

However, he didn't stay long. I offered to him to change him back – I had apparently flipped a switch that made him slowly fall for me in that battle in the Land of Waves. He didn't take my offer, though. He claimed that that was what made him who he was now, and he'd just have to work through it like everyone else. Then he left the village, to travel. He isn't back yet, even now. He said once he forgave himself and got over the past, he'd be back.

We never did find out what happened to Kabuto. I kinda hoped he had died in that explosion, but I doubted it. I had a feeling he'd come around eventually. But, we haven't heard of anything like that now, so I'll try to forget about that until he _does _come back around. Until then, he doesn't exist, as far as I'm concerned.

Haruka and Neji grew very close, and Neji is now very protective of her. Haru is very protective of everyone, considering her friends as family. We've grown to be good friends, too, Haru and I. I learned about how badly treated she was in her orphanage. She may have acted bright and cheerful, but she was really tired, stressed, overworked, and depressed back then. She's getting much better now, though. I'm also proud to say she learned the Storm technique on her own.

Brittany and Orochimaru are really good friends. Britt is, after all, one of the only people who really accept him. Even Tsunade is still a little doubtful about it all. Britt also, I learned, was able to summon a panther whose name was Void. It was weird; when Void was summoned, Britt acts so much calmer. She also taught herself to use the Boil technique with her fire and water elements, which also helped her become a supposed demonic angel when she uses the technique that nearly killed Hidan; with the staff from the pits of hell. Awesome, right?

Gaara has learned to accept Apple. They're as close as Sam and Gaara used to be. She taught herself a Lava technique, and combines it with Gaara's sand to create crystals. It's beautiful…. I saw it once. Apple also loves Anna, and wants to see her whenever she visits the Leaf. Apple is working on her temper, too; Gaara is helping her with it. It's well controlled, but every so often, someone threatens a friend, and Pepper comes out.

Ashlie and Zetsu seem to be a nice couple. Kisame is like a big brother to Ash, even though she was a former fangirl. She likes the freaky ones, the odd ones out, which why they seemed so perfect together. Plus, the two of them both had multiple personalities. Of course, Ash can be very overprotective of the two of them – Kisame and Zetsu, I mean. She's overprotective of all her friends, really. She also learned the wood element, even though Yamato insisted she couldn't do it. Ash missed her family, though. She missed her twin. Megan, she said her name was. She was kind, and everyone loved her. She was also annoying, Ash had said, but she loved her anyway.

Agatha and Shikamaru are perfect together. Or, should I say Agatha and _Bambi _are perfect together. Bambi is, after all, Agatha's nickname for him. Both love clouds, both are lazy…. She used to like Kiba (or Inu-kun), if you remember, but Shikamaru just seemed a better match. Agatha learned to make an Ice element, too, like Haku. It was… pretty. She doesn't call it _pretty _though, of course….

Annalisa is in the academy now, as she wanted to be. I keep telling her how lucky she is to get the opportunity to go there, even when she complains about the work she has to do, since the rest of us didn't have the opportunity to learn it from the beginning. And, even though Anna's Riaru powers have transferred her age to sixteen, she still acts like a seven-year-old. She looks up to Sasuke as kind of like a big brother, which I think is cute and also pretty ironic.

Mackenzie still tortures Kakashi with her fangirlisms. Kakashi doesn't like it, either, I can tell you that. She still likes to experiment on unfortunate victims with her Kawarigan, and I occasionally see her flying around the village with her special staff. You know – the staff that's idea came from _Avatar: The Last Airbender_.

Sarah has somehow managed to control Hidan. I'm not even sure if he's a Jashinist anymore. It's scary. It's… it's almost as though he isn't even Hidan, but some other guy in disguise! I knew full well it wasn't, though. Although, Sierra recently told me she had changed something in Hidan while I was captive in the hideout that was now reduced to rubble. That certainly explained some things.

Sierra and Suigetsu are great friends. They've grown incredibly close, and some could even say they're a couple. Both of them deny it, though. Sierra has become a medic-nin, too. Her water element made the healing more natural. I don't know why. Ask Sierra or Sakura. They'd know.

Samantha? She and I are still best friends. We'd been through it all together, there was no way we were growing apart now. If anything, we were closer than ever before. Her and Itachi, well, they seemed the most perfect couple you could ever get. (Yeah! Support ItaSam or _die_!) Plus, being around Itachi so much made her a little bit nicer, and I was grateful for that. She'll even sometimes hug me back when I want a hug! _That_, my friend, is making progress.

As for me, I'm doing fine. I've recovered from bringing Madara back to life, of course. Deidara and I are "cute together," as Sam says, but I, personally, don't see how. I still have to fight to get a hug from him, unfortunately. And, as I look back on all that happened to me, I realize how impossible my life is. Think about it. I'm in a world that's supposed to be a manga, then the guy who _happens _to be my favorite character ends up with me. On top of that, I got Madara to be a good guy. Maybe I'm a Mary-Sue.

…But I sure as hell hope not.

I'm writing this at my desk in my room, in my own house. I finally got a different house than Sam. Took me long enough, huh? So you know, the entries from everyone else they wrote themselves. …Except for Kabuto. I just made an educated guess on how that went. Now, we all know everyone has a story. And we also know that each story is a story that never ends. However, it's time for me to stop. Even though this is only the beginning, I'm sorry to say that this is the end of your read, dear reader.

And that, I'm afraid, is the end.


	32. Bonus

I really didn't want to write this. I really, _really_, REALLY didn't want to write this. But Sam made me. It was a deal. So she admitted she thought Sasuke was cuddly. (What a ripoff...) Oh well, here you are!

* * *

**Alternate Additional Ending to the Epilogue of Twisted Vacation**

**(That Sam made me write)**

"We need roses," I ordered. "Lots of roses. She loves roses."

"Stop ordering us around, hm."

"Tch, you're not the boss, you know."

"I _am _the oldest," I smirked.

"No, _I _am, smart one! And you say you're a genius."

"I _am _a genius," I frowned.

"Well, we need bright colors."

"There are bright colors already here, idiot, hm!"

"…Meh."

"You got that from Sam, didn't you?"

"…Meh again."

"Well, let's start getting this together already!"

"Fine, stop annoying me!"

I smiled. "Yes, let's begin."

* * *

"C'mon!" Anna called, dragging me into the woods. "You guys too," she called, indicating Sam, Sierra, and Sarah. "I have a _surprise_!" she giggled.

My three friends glanced at one another, then followed.

After a few minutes, I figured out where we were going. _The clearing…? _You know the clearing. The clearing Sam and I appeared in six years ago. That was so long ago…. Since then, so much has happened. And all because of a vacation to Maxey Island.

"Hurry!" my niece coaxed, running faster.

"_Ehhh_!" Sierra cried, nearly tripping.

"We're coming!" Sarah called.

Anna giggled in excitement, and stopped in the clearing I mentioned before. Anna ran off, hiding behind the trees. My three friends stopped when they reached the clearing as well, looking around in wonder. The entire clearing was strewn with roses, Sam's favorite flower.

Standing in the clearing was Deidara, Itachi, Suigetsu, and Hidan, every one of them smiling. Itachi's smile was soft and kind, Deidara's was his usual slightly smug smile, Suigetsu's was more of a happy smirk, and Hidan's was a confident grin. Each of them coaxed their person to come closer to them.

Sarah went to Hidan, Sierra went to Suigetsu, I went to Deidara, and Sam went to Itachi. Every one of them kneeled down. The boys, minus Itachi, did it kind of awkwardly, but they were obviously trying. Itachi held up a hand, showing a number. Three, two, one….

"Will you marry me?" they said in sync, each holding something out. I grew incredibly self-conscious. I quickly glanced around at everyone else's reactions. Sam was blushing profusely. Sierra… was also blushing profusely. Sarah was grinning madly.

"Wh-what?" Sierra stuttered.

"I'm not repeating it!" he replied.

"B-but you're—we're only sixteen!"

"Theoretically. I've been alive longer than that though. I'm technically twenty or something, I've just aged sixteen years."

Sierra stopped. He got her there.

I held up my hand, counting down with my own fingers, a grin on my face. Three, two, one…. "_Yes!_" we all said in sync, and every one of us glomped our given new fiancé. Anna's laughter was drowned out in our own happiness.

* * *

Oh god I felt so awkward writing that... =.= Never. Again.

Alright then. So you know, I'm also putting up the prologue to the next - and last - book. This will be the Vacation Trilogy! :D Okay, the name of the next story is: Not a Vacation Anymore. Look it up if you care to do so. Anyhoo, have a nice day!


End file.
